Managing Your Virtual Brand
Did You Tweet Today?
Before you post jokes on MySpace or tag photos on Facebook, you might want to think of your online brand. While KPMG doesn’t actively search social media during the interview process, other firms may. What you say and do online can spread virally and turn up when it’s least expected—or wanted. Even the most innocent joke can be read the wrong way by a potential employer. Privacy settings can help, but so can a good dose of professional prevention. Use these simple guidelines to surf social media with your reputation intact. We’ll also show you ways to use social media to build your brand, build your network, and show your expertise online. It’s all in this video, Managing Your Reputation Online.
In today’s dynamic business environment, KPMG uses an assortment of social media and online Web tools such as Twitter, Intern Inc, and YouTube, in addition to our Web site to communicate and enhance our brand. As the world of social media continues to grow in popularity, it too will grow as a powerful networking and professional development tool. We invite you to jump-start your professional career with our virtual branding tips, quiz, and self-assessment worksheet.
10 Ways to Improve Your Virtual Brand Now
- Be thoughtful about your brand and ask yourself these questions. Your answers to these questions should help guide your decisions as you build your virtual brand.
- Who am I?
- What do I want to know now?
- What can I teach others?
- Develop goals. What do you want to get out of your presence on social media? Let that guide what to sign up for, contribute to, and participate in.
- Use a consistent name or handle on all of your sites. If you can, use your first and last name; you will make it easy for people to find you.
- Create your Google profile on google.com/profiles so that when people are searching for you, they’ll have the best chance at finding you and the information you want them to see.
- Choose a professional avatar or photo that represents who you are and will help people recognize you on all of your sites and if they were to meet you in person. You don’t want your LinkedIn profile picture to be outdated just because you liked the haircut you had five years ago.
- Take time to create and fully utilize the “about page.” Take advantage of bio pages; this is your opportunity to introduce yourself to the world.
- Clean out your contacts/friends/connections. Keep your list tight—you want to target people in the industry you want to enter. Make connections with professionals who can help you.
- Create relevant updates or comments and post often. Cross-post to your other sites. If you’re not producing and sharing, you’re not getting your virtual brand in front of others and you’re not proving that you’re a valued member of the online community.
- Complete relevant book reviews or product reviews on Amazon.com to increase the reach of your virtual brand.
- Once you’ve established your online brand, you must monitor it and keep it up to date.
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