Personal Branding

Personal branding is an important skill.  Whether you are aware of it or not, you are constantly sending out messages about your brand.

Some of the factors that make up your personal brand include:

• your character—what are your values and how are you likely to act?
• your punctuality and attendance–are you reliable?
• the way you dress–what does your appearance say to other people?
• content on social media–if someone looked at your social media account what would they think about you?

We have already addressed most of the characteristics that define your personal brand.  In this unit we will focus on branding yourself through social media.

One of the most basic elements of your social media presence is your email address.  Take a look at your e-mail address and think about what it means.  When you are applying for a job or asking a teacher for help do you really want someone to think of you as hottamale29@yahoo.com or readytofight@gmail.com or skterboi12@hotmail.com?

If you are already attached to an e-mail address it is fine to keep it for personal friends.  The best alternative is to open an new email account that uses your first and last name, or your initials and your last name.

Next take a look at the messages you are sending out via your social media accounts.  Administrators, teachers, and potential employers regularly look at student behavior on Facebook.  Maybe you are saying I just won’t friend them, the reality is that most people have friends on their list that they do not know in person.  How do you know who these people really are.  Do yourself a favor and unfriend people that you do not know.  You should also set your profile to private so that you can control you sees your information.

It is never a good idea to share questionable pictures broadly.  They may seem like a good idea now, but when you are grown up, you might not be so proud……..If you must post pictures that are questionable limit the audience to your close friends.

Also, keep in mind that there are ways to look at Facebook accounts even if you have deleted them.  There is a website called WayBackMachine that is an Internet Archive.  Anyone has the ability to put the link from your Facebook page into the site and see what you may have already deleted.

In addition, there are search tools such as pipl that do a deep search for you on the Internet.  You would be surprised to find information about yourself even if your Facebook is under a different name.

Lastly, please remember that once you post things to social media websites like Facebook and Instagram you are giving your photos and information to someone else forever and ever.

Assignment:

1.)  Create a new e-mail address that reflects your personal polish

2.)  Use that e-mail address to create a LinkedIn Account for yourself.  Please take a minute to read through the overview prepared by Gerry Moran of Marketing Think below.  The italicized notes are my suggestions for you!

2013 LinkedIn Profile Character Limits

Knowing the space with which you can work in your LinkedIn profile is key to helping you build your perfect social brand! Here are your character limits:

• Headline – 120 characters to fill with keywords and a short story about you! (use an adjective like enterprising or forward thinking student looking to build a professional network)

• Summary – 2,000  characters to tell the story or YOU with keywords and  accomplishments  (what skills, values, and experiences do you want to share with the world?)

• Experience/Position Title – 100 characters to sum up your official experience in a title, or something more creative with keywords  (it is very appropriate for you to use the word student as your title)

• Experience/Position Description – 2,000 characters to use keywords to sum up your role and your key accomplishments. Make sure to format this area to make sure it is easy to read!  (do you have any accomplishments in school, your church, sports, or volunteer work that will make you stand out?)

• Skills & Expertise – 61 characters for the 50 skills you can list (all of you can list technology and social media!  What other skills do you have?)

• Status updates – 700 characters for an unlimited times per day, however, I recommend only one or two per day. And you can include a hyperlink if you need more room!  (Rememebr LinkedIn is your professional brand!  Think about sharing an article that is interesting to your field of study or sharing a quote or event at your school.  This is not the place to share statuses like you do on Facebook.) 

• Groups – 50 groups is your limit, so pick them wisely to show others with whom you are keeping company!

• Education/Degree – 100 characters to explain your degree to include relevant keyword phrases  (You can list your high school)

• Education/Activities & Societies – 500 characters to give an overview that can tie into your career   (add any organizations or clubs that you belong to, like Peer Power)

• Education Description – 1,000 characters to offer an overview of what you studied and how it is relevant to your career

• Additional Info/Interests – 1,000 characters to further explain your background and show how interesting you really are!

• Honors & Awards – 1,000 characters to shine the spotlight on YOU! Even if you won a sales award, it’s a great accomplishment to list!  (list any awards you have won in high school.) 

I will know that you have a new account once I receive a friend request from you.  Look for me, Kelly Penwell.

Please feel free to connect to others in the class and with other people you know personally once I have given you the okay.  I want to check out your profile and make sure that you are putting your best foot forward before you connect with others.

You will be graded as follows:

Timeliness:
Assignment was submitted on   time	20	points
Content:
You created a headline for yourself	15	points
You have developed a summary for yourself	15	points
You have entered student as your position	15	points
You have listed at least 2 skills	15	points
You have added something else interesting about you	10	points
You have sent me a request to connect on LinkedIn	10	points
TOTAL	100