Q: I’m very happy in my current role – it’s reasonably high profile in a very high profile organisation. By ‘reasonably high profile’, I mean that I give some media interviews and speak at a number of conferences and events each year. I’m always very careful to present myself as a representative of the company – but am I missing a trick by not promoting myself as well? What do you think? I’m 24 years of age.
A: The first point I would make is that by doing a good job in your current position, you are, in fact, promoting yourself as well.
In fact, it is probably the most effective way of advancing your own career. People are watching. People are always watching. Have no doubt but that employers who see you delivering presentations at conference, or conducting media interviews, are forming an opinion of you, and, in some cases, contemplating if you might be someone they could employ down the line.
What we are talking about it here is branding. While you are duty bound to promote your current employer’s brand in your various appearances, there is a danger you will become too closely associated with them – so you should commit to doing a few things on an ongoing basis to develop your personal brand too.
Here are some ideas
Blog. Write about current issues in your line of work. Show that you have insights and opinions. So, if your current role is as Public Relations Manager of the Irish Stone Wall Knockers Guild, blog about current trends and challenges in the world of stone wall knocking. Publish the blog on LinkedIn. Maybe get it published in Stone Wall Knocking Monthly? And/or put it on your website…
You could look at having your own website. Google ‘personal brand websites’ and you will get a thousand ideas. The site could house your articles, a link to your LinkedIn accounts, a feed from your other social media accounts, and much more…
Make sure your social media accounts regularly feature your line of work. Twitter and Facebook are powerful tools and can be used as professional platforms. I’m not saying you must desist completely from posting about your favourite sport or music, but think about having some professional elements in your posts too.
All of the foregoing contributes to you becoming an expert in your field. Which begs the question: what’s an expert? In my view, it’s someone who has well-founded opinions and who is prepared to circulate those, and, where necessary, defend them. You don’t need to be the oracle: experts can also show themselves as people looking for answers and insights from others.
On LinkedIn, ask for testimonials from people who know and value your work. And offer them to people whose work you know and value – what goes around comes around.
Think about courses – be they short or long – that you might do. You’ll learn stuff and build good contacts...
Contacts. It’s all about people. Take time to actually get to know the people you’re now encountering.
Finally, stay focused on your current job. That remains your best advertisement. Remember, people are watching.
