Are You Still Conducting Your Job Search Without a Professional Biography?

Without a doubt, the process of job search has evolved substantially over the course of the past decade. For candidates that are back on the market for the first time in years, the process of job search can be daunting at best.  One of the most significant changes is how the resume has become more of a function of the application process, as opposed to the primary tool used to garner access to choice interviews and opportunities.

A substantial amount of job search and candidate selection takes place in social networking platforms. This too has evolved as employers opt to post free versus paid job listings  and actively seek out millions of  both passive and active job seekers in these environments. Additionally, candidates with solid professional brands and professional biographies have  access to and can  directly contact decision makers like never before.

To compete in online and social networking platforms such as linkedin.com, the premier professional networking site with over 240 million users, candidates must have a professional biography, an online profile and post personal advertisements to tout their brand and proactively seek out opportunities. The age of active job search without a social networking strategy  has passed. Candidates must proactively utilize both traditional and online social networking sites to increase their odds of securing a position ahead of the competition and to leverage a  relevant presence online.

Are you still conducting your job search without a professional biography and online profile? TLT Consulting Services specializes in personal branding, career reinvention and career marketing strategies. Let TLT Consulting Services help you begin the process of job search with a branded professional biography that you can use to seek out opportunities in social networking platforms. Let TLT Consulting Services, "Show You The Power Of Your Personal Brand!"

Terri Horton, MBA,MA

What Exactly is Personal Branding?

A personal brand is an individual's equity stake in how one is perceived by a specific target audience. In simple terms, it is how you are perceived by those that you seek to influence. A personal brand embodies the notion of the "it" factor and can position individuals and entrepreneurs as well rounded experts in a respective industry or field. In fact, a strong personal brand speaks to the value you deliver by way of your experience, background, impact, education, industry affiliations, polish and presence, just to name a few. Contrary to popular belief, personal brands can be executed and leveraged successfully across ANY profession, business or entrepreneurial venture.

The development of a personal brand enables one to identify, authenticate, consistently articulate and build brand equity across professional, personal and social platforms. The power of your personal brand will differentiate you from your competition, clearly link and connect you with your target audience and deliver multi-dimensional appeal. Ask yourself the following questions:

• What does my personal brand say about me?
• Can I clearly articulate my personal brand?
• Do I have a 30-second professional brand pitch?
• Do I have a professional bio that touts my professional brand?
• Is the lack of a personal brand hindering my job search?
• Am I maximizing my personal brand in interviews?
• Do I have an appropriate social networking profile that reflects my professional brand?
• Do my business networking partners perceive me as an industry expert?
• Does my personal brand impede my career advancement opportunities?
• How can I reinvent my brand and transition into a new industry?
• Has my personal brand inhibited me from transitioning into another career opportunity?
• Is there a disconnect between my perceived value as a result of my poorly executed polished personal brand?

The job market is tight and competition is fierce. A professional personal brand positions job seekers for the best positions, highest salaries and serves as a catalyst to edge out the competition. As of July 2009, the US National unemployment rate was 9.4%. Several states across the union experienced double-digit unemployment numbers to the chagrin of worried job seekers.  Job seekers across the country continue to line up with thousands to attend job fairs, post resumes to job boards, flood the lobbies of search firms and apply for limited opportunities with choice companies. Candidates with solid, distinguishable and well articulated personal brands reduce their time among the ranks of both the underemployed and unemployed. Do you have a solid marketable professional brand that will catapult you miles ahead of the competition? Let TLT Consulting Services show you the power of your personal brand!

Terri L. Horton, MBA, MA

 Personal Branding: The Key to Leveraging Competitive Advantage!

 In a recessionary economy, value and personal brand equity are king as it relates to securing and sustaining employment. So, I ask you, "Do you really need a professional personal brand in our current employment environment? The answer is YES! The bottom line is that employers desire and hire candidates with the most experience, relevant education and value for the organization. More importantly, employers negotiate higher salaries for employees that not only meet requisite requirements, but that also embody the essence of the position, are industry experts, have a solid command of competitive intelligence, are thought leaders and are well networked. The development of your personal brand allows you to clearly communicate such value and positions you to market yourself more effectively to decision makers!

If you are still pondering  the value of developing a personal brand, ask yourself: How do I stack up against the competition? What do I bring to the table, other than requisite or basic position requirements? Do I have a thirty-second pitch that communicates my value? If downsizing were required, why would my boss tap my peer on the shoulder, as opposed to me? Why should an employer select me over thousands of other candidates? Do I understand that a professional personal brand is not a resume, but rather the embodiment of value that I deliver? What have I done recently to develop or drive my competitive advantage? If asked, can I concisely articulate my value? What is my professional personal brand and how do I describe it? In addition to my resume, do I have a professional bio and profile?

These are critical questions that require your attention, if you are to conduct a successful job search, reduce your time among the ranks of the unemployed and get the job you deserve. TLT Consulting Services specializes in personal branding, career reinvention and career marketing. Now is the perfect time to develop your personal brand! Let TLT Consulting Services "Show You The Power of Your Personal Brand!"

Terri L. Horton, MBA, MA