The main goal of any brand is to sell a skill, service, or knowledge.  That is exactly what you want to do with your personal brand.  Point out your skills and strengths that are unique and use them to set yourself apart from the crowd.  Take time to think about who you are professionally, then write it down and decide how you want to communicate this to others.

Decide on the Avenue

There are plenty of social media options out there, in fact, the possibilities are endless.  Do your research, see what is available to you, and do not be afraid to have multiple social media pages.  Take the time to figure out which sites help you meet the goals you have set.

List of all social media options

LinkedIn

LinkedIn is, by far, the number one professional networking site on the internet.  You need to be on LinkedIn if you are actively or passively looking for a job.  Follow these tips:

• Post your picture in your profile - it is part of your personal brand
• Get recommendations - this could be one of the single most important things on your profile.  Potential employers go to LinkedIn just to read these.
• Make smart connections - connect with people you know, and reach out to those with similar skills or interests
• Lastly, be active  - Show your skills through updates and communication with others.

Get Involved

You have to be active and engaged on these social media sites to stand out.  There are plenty of ways to get involved,  join groups, be a part of your college alumni group, or any other specialties you may have.  Use different tools to find people you may know or have the same interests as on the sites.   Each social media site offers something different.  With LinkedIn you can import your email addresses, with twitter you can look up people by syncing with your address books or LinkedIn.  Try this website to find people of similar interests as you on Twitter.  Social media is a great way to meet other people that have similar interests to yours.

Remember, when it comes to the internet you are what you publish.

Contact Information

You need to be willing to post your contact information on these sites.  If you are going to be networking, job searching, and approaching others, then you need to be willing to be approached as well.  At the very least include your email.   This is a good point to encourage security on social media sites.  Though it may seem tedious take the time to figure out what social media sites are doing with your information, both Facebook and LinkedIn utilize your published information for their own benefit, so check your privacy settings.

 In closing, developing your brand should be something you think through and strategically plan.  The internet, and more specifically social media can act as a way for you to meet people that you may not have ever had access to in the past. So get involved!