Personal Branding
Creating a strong, personal brand on LinkedIn is crucial for professional networking, career development, and building your online reputation. I didn’t realise this until 2023 but I’m so glad I did.
In March 2023 I decided to leave a job without having secured another role. I was in a fortunate position whereby I had some savings to tide me over. When the time was right to start looking for another role I wondered how long it would take me.
I posted on LinkedIn that I was open to opportunities. Honestly, I didn’t know what that looked like at the time. I was ready to take on projects on a self employed basis, a fixed term contract, a perm role. I felt that the universe would put something in front of me that I needed at that time.
After numerous shares, comments, likes and a lot of support my post reached over 100,000 people. I was inundated with calls and messages about potential roles, people sharing jobs they had seen, short term work opportunities. It was a little overwhelming but my LinkedIn profile had served me well. I did some work on a self employed basis for a couple of weeks and then accepted a Fixed Term Contract working for a technology company. The Chief People Officer had reached out to me directly. It was meant to be.
As a HR Professional Linked I had been posting on LinkedIn for a number of years. The key reasons I use LinkedIn:
Potential Candidates - you can guarantee that potential candidates will look for people that work at the organisation they are applying to. There is a real opportunity to showcase the company culture through your own personal profile.
Recruitment - You can also use your page and your connections to find people for roles you are recruiting for. Advertising jobs on your personal profile will undoubtedly attract candidates.
Recommendations - As a HR professional you will need to use 3rd parties at some point through your career. Whether you need external L&D support, a brand new HR System or a mediator. I have had to use 3rd party supplies numerous times and I really appreciate personal recommendations. I follow a lot of other HR people for this exact reason.
So how can you build your personal brand?
Creating a strong, personal brand on LinkedIn is crucial for professional networking, career development, and building your online reputation. I didn’t realise this until 2023 but I’m so glad I did.
In March 2023 I decided to leave a job without having secured another role. I was in a fortunate position whereby I had some savings to tide me over. When the time was right to start looking for another role I wondered how long it would take me.
I posted on LinkedIn that I was open to opportunities. Honestly, I didn’t know what that looked like at the time. I was ready to take on projects on a self employed basis, a fixed term contract, a perm role. I felt that the universe would put something in front of me that I needed at that time.
After numerous shares, comments, likes and a lot of support my post reached over 100,000 people. I was inundated with calls and messages about potential roles, people sharing jobs they had seen, short term work opportunities. It was a little overwhelming but my LinkedIn profile had served me well. I did some work on a self employed basis for a couple of weeks and then accepted a Fixed Term Contract working for a technology company. The Chief People Officer had reached out to me directly. It was meant to be.
As a HR Professional Linked I had been posting on LinkedIn for a number of years. The key reasons I use LinkedIn:
Potential Candidates - you can guarantee that potential candidates will look for people that work at the organisation they are applying to. There is a real opportunity to showcase the company culture through your own personal profile.
Recruitment - You can also use your page and your connections to find people for roles you are recruiting for. Advertising jobs on your personal profile will undoubtedly attract candidates.
Recommendations - As a HR professional you will need to use 3rd parties at some point through your career. Whether you need external L&D support, a brand new HR System or a mediator. I have had to use 3rd party supplies numerous times and I really appreciate personal recommendations. I follow a lot of other HR people for this exact reason.
So how can you build your personal brand?
Well, I will say that if it feels like a chore, or just another thing you need to squeeze into your day then don’t do it. To build a personal brand on LinkedIn you need to post on a regular basis. There is little point in doing that for a couple of weeks and then dropping off. Consistency really is important. You want to become a familiar face. Here are just a couple of tips to get you going:
Define what you want to be known for i.e. your brand identity. People will follow you because you talk about things they are interested in. Are you clear on who you are talking to? Understand your audience so you can talk to them about things they are interested in.
Make your profile work for you:
Craft a compelling headline that showcases your expertise and what you offer.
Write a concise and engaging summary that highlights your key achievements and professional journey.
Include a professional profile photo that reflects your personal brand.
Customise your URL to make it more memorable (e.g., linkedin.com/in/yourname).
Showcase Your Experience and Achievements:
Add detailed information about your work experience, including job titles, responsibilities, and accomplishments.
Utilise keywords relevant to your industry and areas of expertise to improve searchability. This is how people will find you!
Build a Strong Network:
Connect with people in your industry, colleagues, mentors, and individuals who inspire you. As it stands today you can send 100 connection requests a week.
Engage with your network regularly by liking and commenting on their posts to build relationships. Don’t focus too much on your follower count, focus more on engaging with people.
Share Relevant and Engaging Content:
Share valuable insights, industry trends, and articles related to your field.
Create original content such as articles or LinkedIn posts to showcase your expertise and thought leadership.
Talk about things that you are passionate about and your energy will shine through.
Remember, building a personal brand takes time and consistency. Engage with your network, provide value, and demonstrate your expertise to create a strong personal brand on LinkedIn.