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Career Truth #1: Brand or Be Branded (Are YOU Willing to Risk What Shows on the Top Fold?)

March 12, 2009 by sparktalk 

By J.T. O’Donnell

Several people have told me lately they don’t care about their career identity online. “I should be able to do what I want,” or, “My life shouldn’t be judged by employers based on what they see on the web.” I say this: brand or be branded. You can either make sure people ‘hear what they see’ in a way that boosts your credibility. Or, you can ignore your online presence and be seen as, A) non-existent and unimportant, or perhaps even worse, B) the Dennis Rodman of the net.

Let me explain…(and trust me, you are going to want to read this story!)

A young woman reached out to me recently supposedly ‘desperate’ about her job search. Having graduated college last spring and yet to land an interview, she claimed to have ‘tried everything’ and was sure she was doing something wrong. I looked at her resume which had some things that could be improved, but her academic achievements were solid and in a specialized field. Then, I checked her cover letter. It was pretty standard, but not bad, which then made me wonder if her online identity was the issue. So, I decided to complete an Internet search on her – just as 4 out of 5 hiring managers do today. I put in her name and the school she graduated from. What popped up in the results shed some light. The #1 item in the results was her Facebook picture. It was a blurry photo of her in a sweatshirt and her eyes were closed. Okay, so it was nothing terrible, but it also wasn’t a powerful first impression.

And besides, what followed was much worse…

You see, her Facebook photo also happened to be the ONLY thing that popped up about her. Nothing related to school, nothing related to volunteering, nothing related to her field of study…absolutely nothing. In fact, the next 10 entries thereafter were for someone with the same name but different middle initial who currently writes a very open and direct blog about an alternative lifestyle subject.

Now, is it frustrating to think she might actually be getting discriminated against because of an online search? Of course! This recent grad doesn’t have a lot of experience, which means her career identity is being branded as sub-par (and maybe even misinterpreted) from lack of solid professional online content. Yet, that doesn’t mean a person with this problem should sit in the sandbox and pound their fists. Any person, at any age, at any time in their career can build a strong online career identity. The reality is you only need 5-6 good things to come up in a search so the top fold (the uppermost portion of the computer screen that shows the top search results) is filled with positive items about you. Why? Because people rarely, if ever, bother to scroll down or click on the next page of a search. They usually assume what is in the top fold is the most relevant.

So, how do you create and/or improve your online career identity?

Step 1: Identify Your Brand’s Keywords

Do a search on yourself and see what comes up. You may find someone with your name has coveted the top fold. From there, identify what keywords you can use to differentiate yourself from this person. Should you be using your full name? Your middle initial? Your affiliation with an organization or a type of work? Figure out how you want people to find you so you can build your brand around these keywords.

Step 2: Become a Blog Reader & Commenter

Begin reading career-related content on blogs for 10 minutes daily. This will help you stay-up-to date and in-the-know. Then, start posting thoughtful, well-written, professional comments on these blogs related to your field of interest. Don’t know where to find these blogs? Go to www.AllTop.com – they are like a magazine rack of online blogs. There, you’ll be able to find dozens of blogs related to your career aspirations so that you can post comments to enhance your credibility as a knowledgeable member of your field/industry. Better still, if you are reading this, you are on a blog RIGHT NOW. So, take 2 extra minutes to post a comment and you’ll be on your way.

Step 3: Ask to Guest Post & Become a Subject-Matter Expert

Once you’ve got commenting down, it’s time to consider writing a guest blog post on a subject related to your career. After you’ve become a regular commenter on a particular site and feel you relate to their readership, contact them and ask if they would accept a guest post from you. Give them an overview of the topic you would write about. If they are interested, you can write the whole article, submit it, and voila – you are a published author on the net.

Step 4: Get Your Twitter Brand Up and Running

Finally, get a Twitter account and learn the 3 key phases for leveraging its power for your career. (FYI – sign up HERE to get step-by-step instruction on how to do that). Twittering is micro-blogging. Better still, it’s like instant messaging for professionals. It is an easy, fast way to connect with hundreds of like-minded people in a short period of time. You can be connected to 1000’s of people in a matter of weeks. Better still, you can ‘tweet’ (post short 140 character comments) to them which a hiring manager can read if they do a search on your Twitter account name. So, it’s like inviting an employer to see what you are like to converse with. A great way to brand yourself! (And don’t forget to follow @careerealism on Twitter so you can see the 14 career experts who are donating their time and providing real-time advice to career questions from our followers as part of our Twitter Advice Project.)

Does this sound like too much work? It’s really not, I promise. But, even if it does take a little effort, it’s worth it.

Here’s an example:

One of the interns in our CAREEREALISM program actually joined the marines and was deployed in Iraq. He did this so he could pay for college. When he came back to the university, he was contacted by a student who wanted to write a story about his experience. He’s an extremely humble person, but agreed to do the interview. The story posted online and it is an incredible look at what life is like there. Now, he never told myself or the rest of our team about this. Actually, with his permission, I was the one that shared this online story with his fellow interns; many of whom have become friends with him in the last year and didn’t even know he served in the war. So, how did I know? As his potential employer, I looked him up. You can imagine how much his credibility went up in my mind when I saw and read the story. And, since joining our internship, he’s also begun blogging. At this point, he has a pretty incredible top fold – and he’s only a junior!

In summary, it’s like I said…brand or be branded. Why risk having a lack of any career identity or a bad online presence just because you didn’t take control of the situation? Yes, getting your top fold to look good takes a little effort, but it can provide an incredible return on your time and energy investment.

Anyone else want to add some ideas on how to develop your career identity online? What have you done to take control of your personal brand?

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Filed Under: Career Advice (Articles), Climbing the Ladder & Managing Up, Job Search Tactics, Networking (In-person & On-line)
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Comments

  • My top three results on Google for my name & school are my LinkedIn profile, Twitter account, and a bio from a company that I consulted for.

    My boyfriend, an aspiring TV sports reporter, asked me about two weekend ago if I knew about "how to get linked in??" He continues to be skeptical of Twitter (and I have to show him how to use it for more than just, 'not working today...'), but he absolutely loves the connective power of LinkedIn. I also showed my mom LinkedIn about two years ago, when I first got it, and Twitter. She always feels to great, like she's in-the-know, when she goes to business meetings where they talk about the power of these tools.

    I totally agree that in today's job market, especially for those who are actively searching, if you don't control the message that is out there about you, someone else will.
  • Andrew Hennessy
    Job applicants have to be very careful about what type of pictures/information is on the internet. It is true that employers type your name into a Google search and take a look at the first few things that come up. This could make or break your opportunity to get a job.

    To check, simply type your full name and your college/university (ex. Joe Smith UMASS) into a Google search and see what comes up. If it is something that you don't think should be on there, then GET RID OF IT! You are only doing yourself a favor.

    Take the time to do it now. Don't wait until it is too late.
  • QuestingElf
    Something I just can't understand is when it comes to job hunting and the Internet, why does anybody post a picture of themselves online?

    Frequently we are told to NOT send a picture with a resume. We have heard horror stories that an employer got a picture of somebody who looked either
    too old / too young,
    too skinny / too fat,
    too rich looking / too poor,
    too liberal with the earring / too conservative with the tie.

    We have also heard that employers can and will make subtle judgements based on a person's name, thinking they're of a certain race or nationality.

    This story speaks of an embarassing picture of someone in a sweatshirt with her eyes closed. Why post a picture of any kind of what you look like, knowing biases exist in the mind of potential employers?

    You could say you wouldn't want to work for such a narrow-minded employer. Then again, you can only say that for so long before you need an income.
  • Dear QuestingElf,

    Finding the right job is very much like dating (minus the intimate parts...). Would you contact someone on a dating site that is too (fill in the blank: embarrassed, shy, suspicious) to post a nice photo of themselves? If someone does not have a photo posted on a social media platform, it makes me think they have something to hide. And that they themselves are not comfortable and secure in how they look to the world. Conversely, if I do see a photo - which doesn't have to be a professional head-shot - I know this person won't have any hang-ups about their appearance.

    Yes, of course appearance matters; but confidence and poise matter more.
  • As an employer, I have often "googled" prospective employees to gain some insight into the type of person they were. I will admit that most often, this information did not deter me from hiring the person, although I do agree that branding is exremely important. As a matter of fact, I just wrote a blog today about branding (in which I reference careerealism) about blogging and how important having a brand is. I think more people need to realize that what is out there displayed for the public to see, can and will be used against you.
  • As an employer, I have often "googled" prospective employees to gain some insight into the type of person they were. I will admit that most often, this information did not deter me from hiring the person, although I do agree that branding is exremely important. As a matter of fact, I just wrote a blog today about branding (in which I reference careerealism) about blogging and how important having a brand is. I think more people need to realize that what is out there displayed for the public to see, can and will be used against you.
  • ThomasParry
    J.T. you hit the nail on the head. I truly believe today's professional falls into one of the following 3 career categories:

    1. gainfully employed and love their work
    2. gainfully employed BUT would jump ship ASAP
    3. unemployed

    Bottom line it doesn't matter which category you fall under you better have built or be building a personal / professional brand. Having a brand can keep you from being that statistical pink slip or land you that sought after job but in today's economically confused environment if you land on #3 without a brand you are going to have a very long road ahead of you.
  • J.T. O'Donnell
    Well said Thomas!

    Sadly, the statistics show that over (brace yourself) 70% of employees fall in to the latter two. And that study is from several years ago. So, we could assume it's up in the 90's now.

    I think the silver lining (if you can call it that) to this economy is how it will teach people the value of brand awareness.

    As you say best, "It's not who you know...It's who knows YOU!"

    Thanks for commenting!
  • I'd go even further: It's not who you know ... it's who knows you ... and who THEY know. Networking is not about asking for a job, it's about asking for help meeting people - lots of different people - who can help you reach your career goals. Ultimately, these people will help you discover interesting opportunities that probably have not been advertised yet. This process results in: less competition + personal recommendation = career success.
  • Type your comment here

    As a "50 something" self employed professional, I am finding it hard to step into this new world of instant identity and pre-conceived notions. I often thought it must be rough to be in the media, entertainment or politics because your life is never your own - you belong to the fans, the antagonists and the paparazzi. Now the average Joe is in the same boat. I have built my life and my career on personal integrity and one on one relationships and this is all quite tough to take.

    My question would be, once you are "there" on the internet. Are you there forever? If someone ever writes something derogatory, can your name ever be redeemed? We used to watch out for "big brother" now do we all shrink from ever voicing an opinion for fear that we may create a ripple that becomes a wave related to our good name that NEVER goes away???

    All of this is hypothetical but one wonders that if we all seek to have a postive "on-line image" what happens if we step on someone's toes somewhere......are we ever after unemployable?

    This might make me go back to mailing letters......
  • J.T. O'Donnell
    Dayna, I couldn't agree more. I was sitting with some HR friends recently and said, "Wow, I'm glad the internet wasn't around early in my career." There is a lot of discussion around whether this is temporary in the sense that eventually we just won't care about what's on the internet because there will be so much junk. However, I always look at the entertainment industry to see the trend for the average Joe. I think we are all going to have to pay more attention to our images and be ready to put a plan in place when a blunder causes a stir. In some ways, I think this is good. We can take our cues from those who have been effective at being successful but have also managed to keep a low and/or positive profile.

    I think you have given me an idea for another post. We could choose celebrities who have done the best job at creating a good brand and identify what they've done right! Got any suggestions of celebs that have done it right?

    Best wishes in your career. My advice, do the online branding basics (we call it professional hygiene) and make sure your accounts are updated and that you regularly contribute. Trust me, it's worth it!
    .
  • EnglishTeach09
    It's so true. I've begun the process of branding myself because I agree with many of the points you made in this article. I especially think this is important for those of us who say that we're "tech savvy." Especially in education, it's a nice thing to promote but many don't practice what they preach. If you profess to be an internet whiz, then why haven't you taken down the picture/article/facebook account of you behaving any different than you would for your employers.
  • Laura Holladay
    I googled my own name, and I found some interesting things that are online about me. For example, there is a church bulletin from Lindenwood in Memphis, TN with my name in it. My parents' friends attended that church, and I would sometimes attend with their daughter (my friend). It is strange to see something that I was not a big part of on the internet.

    In seeing that I agree that I should take more steps to get my name in the "top folds" of a google search. I have a lot from twitter, my work on the Clemson yearbook, and a quote from me in an article. But there is definitely more to me than that. I feel I have accomplished so much more, and I would like to display that to viewers.

    I had a blog back in high school, that I eventually deleted because it seemed pointless. But now that I am about to graduate from Clemson University, I see how necessary blogs can be. Usually when I think of blogs, I think of ones such as Perez, but I also see how big it is. It not only is a way to get your ideas and feelings out, but it is also a great way to get your name out there in the career world and show them what makes you who you are. I feel like it used to be what you could fit on a resume, but now it is clear that your online presence is key.
  • katerees711
    Thanks for posting this information. I'd done searches of just my name before and it there's a Katie that's made quite a name for herself. It was a relief to see that when I search Kate Rees, Ferris State University many positive, career related items appeared, 8 of 10 items were mine! To further develop a positive online presence I will begin commenting on blogs I read and work on regularly contributing to my own!
  • Self branding is such an important part of having a career and, unfortunately, a lot of people don't pay it the attention it deserves. I've made a habit of googling myself every month or so to make sure that I am all for the top fold and that my public profiles only have public information posted on them.
  • Great article. There are a lot of people who are dragging their feet. Mostly traditional media and people from the ages of 40+. Whether it is personal or professional brand you need to adapt. It has leveled the playing field, so to speak, between small business owners who get in early and bigger competitors who feel that their brand will be their savior rather than content. There is a delicate balance between content and brand in this regard. I am still amazed by the "smart" people running businesses who refuse to implement online marketing identities outside of the normal channels.
  • eselfre24
    True, pictures can be controversial. Limit the type of pictures you have online. Take pictures from volunteering efforts, work events and other images that attest to your credibility as a professional.
    I had a great picture of me at a fundraiser I put on and made sure I was front and center however now when I Google it I can't find it! I'm going to track it down though and put it on my online portfolio. I'm sure it spoke a thousand words. I should have kept better track of it.
  • This article is so TRUE! You can continue doing what you have always done and you will get what you have always gotten (definition of insanity!). You can stay like a turtle and keep you head in your little (world) shell and learn absolutely nothing new OR you can pop that head out and see what the world of social media has to offer you and your business.

    I have CHOOSEN to venture out into the wide world of online "risk" and take the road that is unknown & less traveled. I have seen an increase in my business, and better yet if others google my name only they can find all the info on my business that I would like them to be able to find. MY doors have been opened up to a completely NEW group of people ~clients AND Friends alike!

    Social Media = more exposure, more people to help & essentially more doors open to the world of business
  • Excellent article! I have repeatedly warned job seekers (both college students and seasoned pro's) to be very careful about those "social sites" like Facebook and MySpace. Often I hear from students saying they are outraged that a potential employer wouldn't hire them because of pictures or content on their page. I have told them that those pages are public domain, free for anyone to peruse at any time. One of the first places hiring managers go is to the internet to pull up your name. If you find someone who has your first and last name, as I did, you need to distinguish yourself, perhaps using your full middle name.

    Blogging can be tricky too. On some networking sites I've seen people unload details about their former company, co-workers and anger over how they were fired. Not good people! That will be held against you.
    This can come back to bite you in the form of a lawsuit too, so be very careful out there in cyberland. Speaking of being careful, never post your resume with your full address, leave off the street name and number.

    Face-to-face networking is key, besides online. Always have your resume and business card handy. Give friends and family both to carry to work or to others they know in your industry focus. By the same token, don't forget to do the same for others. When you reciprocate, you will be remembered. If you choose to just be in it for yourself, you will find others not willing to assist you in the end.

    I have written several articles on job searching, have compiled many great resources and links that are helpful tools for anyone wishing to use them. My educational blog is at; http://workforcedevelopment.edublogs.org/
  • As someone who hires many people, you are absolutely right, online identities are checked.

    Perhaps another post elaborating on 10 things to put in your online identity might help? People need to know what to do.
  • J.T. O'Donnell
    Great idea Jim - I am definitely on that!
  • Mike24
    An online identity will help you to market yourself as an expert in a particular field. Create a blog or Twitter account to share your expertise, network with knowledge experts, industry leaders etc. Use Perfect tags in your blog posts to index your identity in Google. Get yourself verified using Free Crederity account.
  • Great story...definitely a RT!
  • Do you have any advice for someone with a very common name and whose name is also the same as a much-photographed celebrity? I wouldn't complain if people confused me with the other Jessi or Jessica Millers of the world, we all seem to be quite talented, but there are a lot of false positives there, and I wonder if that would hurt my chances.
  • Totally love & agree with this blog. I am lucky enough I am the ONLY Makenzie Marineau (at least that I am aware of ! )so when I am googled all my articles I have wrote for my school newspaper pop up along with my twitter, Facebook and blog etc. As a web nerd myself I constantly promote using the internet to endorse yourself when searching for a job. I believe social media is a great tool to put yourself out in the front running. I just recently whipped up a quick blog post myself on the benefits of using social media in searching for a job. Again love the great advice
  • Read this article last night it was a great read. I ended up googleing myself this morning. It is so true though that employers will do a name search on you and what comes up may affect you getting the job. That is just how it is today. I am also starting to really get into the blog commenting and will start setting aside a few minutes a day to comment on blogs I read.

    Thanks

    MIX IT UP Magazine
    your source for work and play
    Mixitupmagazine.com
  • Some wonderful advice and insights here. It's true that the whole idea of "branding" leaves a lot of people cold but it's there, it's real, it's not going to go away, and we have to deal with it. The Internet has greatly extended the reach of our reputations (which is all branding is, really) and we pretty much HAVE to make it work in our favor, rather than the other way around.

    Those were good tips for how to build an online presence. Nothing too overwhelming or time-consuming! Thanks for these.
  • caroltapp
    I found thes articles very interesting. Great advise. One problem, I am on twitter but only unwelcomed hits, have been in this city15 months and do not really know anyone. Not sure what else to put on twitter, communitycoordin
  • J.T. O'Donnell
    Hi Carol!

    Think of your twitter feed as your own personal newspaper and you are the editor. Fill it with all the things you feel are relevant to your career/industry/desired job. This is a way to show readers what you are about on a professional level. Slowly, you'll tweak the feed to attract the audience you desire. You'll know you are getting it right when your 'headlines' a.k.a. your tweets are getting RT(retweed). Most importantly, don't give up. It takes time to build up a following, but once you do it grows like a snowball in a blizzard!
  • aliciaotero
    Oh I love this article. I run a volunteer networking site for professionals in transition and now I feel like I need to be come a blog subject matter expert! Thanks! I'm so happy I found you on twitter.

    Alicia Otero
    "Helping Professionals Help Themselves"
    Email: lisaotero@yahoo.com
    LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/aliciaotero
    Meetup: www.meetup.com/stlcareernetworking
    Twitter: http://twitter.com/StLNetworkGuru
  • amandadhiggins
    Thank you for this great article! I run a faith-based job search support group and the information you provided here will be valuable not only to our Job Seekers but I find it useful as well. I've found that so many articles and webinars and the endless stream of content put out by communications associations on the subject of social media and building an online brand is too abstract, theoretical and even too shallow to truly move one in the right direction. It all sounds great, but what do I do? This lays it out wonderfully. Thank you.
  • mgentille
    Great article. I think recent graduates and professionals with all levels of experience need to be cognizant of their online presence. Many job seekers don't think about the damage their online presence could have on their job search, and in the age of social media this could, indeed, play a large role in securing a job opportunity. One of our clients here at LaSalle Network actually rescinded an offer to a candidate because of a picture on their Facebok profile! Employers are looking at this, so make sure they don't find anything you wouldn't want your grandmother to see or read!

    Megan Gentille, LaSalle Network
  • staceytwoods
    Very helpful article and I am already following careerealism on twitter. Here is my question, if you are in one business (real estate) but are looking to move into a field you have worked in before (science related field), do I put it out there on Facebook and Twitter? I have put on LinkedIn that I am looking for jobs and changed that profile. However I don't want to deter any real estate business that comes my way. I have thought about setting up a new twitter account. Any tips would be appreciated.
  • Hi Stacey!

    Creating a new Twitter feed is a great way to build a second 'vertical' for your personal brand. When we have several strong areas of expertise, it can be helpful to build a unique 'micro-blog' for each one. Then, push out tweets/content that match the subject.

    As for ways to display your expertise, consider creating a VisualCV over at VisualCV.com and link it to your profiles. This offers a creative way to showcase your different strengths in a way that won't alienate a hiring manager who may not be interested in all your areas of expertise.

    Best wishes and thanks for being a reader of CAREEREALISM - we're glad you are here!
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