The conversation about personal branding seems to be popping up everywhere these days. Fast Company recent dubbed it “essential to career success.” 99u says “the resume is dead, the bio is king.” Inc says “virtually everyone” needs to care about personal branding, because “how people see you matters; it is a fundamental truth of being a human.”
I recently rallied our resident Community Managers to talk personal branding. Here are thoughts and insights from the ladies responsible for fanning the flames of reputation for our client brands…as well as their own.
Meet today’s crew…
Maureen Megan, @jukeboxdiver
Laura Garvin, @laura_garvin
Amy Taylor, @ohiogood
How do you define personal branding?
Maureen Megan: Personal branding is taking the time to craft a content strategy for your personal life; one that is truly evocative of your interests & personality, who you are and who you want to be, all in an aesthetically-congruent, professional manner.
Laura Garvin: A refined, more cultivated version of yourself. Everyone has a personal brand; you just have to find what your “thing(s)” are! What you love. What inspires you.
Amy Taylor: Personal branding is telling the story of you through words, visuals and actions.
Why does personal branding matter?
MM: In this day in age, social media has become a resume of sorts. Employers look to these channels when hiring, especially in creative fields. As an employer, I look to a potential candidate’s social media channels first. I can get a pocket–sized glimpse of who you are in under a minute. Considering this, it’s advantageous to put forth a thoughtful representation of yourself, your interests and your dreams on social, as opposed to a feed riddled with drunk pics, contest regrams, whiny sob stories and way too many selfies.
LG: I think its important to know yourself. Know who you are, what you love, your passions, etc. When you know yourself, you can better express yourself! That is what a personal brand is, isn’t it? A practice of expressing yourself. As you define your personal brand, I think you develop your own style and a voice that is all you! I think that’s an important key—your personal brand is personal. You’re not trying to make yourself someone that you are not, you are just presenting a refined version of you, by way of beautiful content. On another note, I think its extra important in our industry. Your personal brand is an opportunity to show your ability to create quality content.
AT: In the modern world, setting yourself apart (and showcasing your unique “value proposition”) can open doors — from job opportunities to brand partnerships, mentorship gigs to social connections. Simply having a degree isn’t enough. The workplace focus has shifted from a skills checklist to a value checklist. Don’t just tell us what you can do, show us what you’re passionate about. Show us what you love. Show us what you bring to our team and our clients. Personal branding showcases that story.
If you had to summarize your personal brand down to a few sentences, how would you describe yourself?
MM: Earthy, goofy, witchy. I am an independent young woman who values creativity, resourcefulness and vulnerability.
LG: Ah, yes. The ultimate question. I’m still figuring this one out honestly. Right now I’d say inspired by people, places, and pretty things—which is vague, I know. But that’s what I love. That’s what inspires me. People and their stories. Traveling and culture. Beautiful things in everyday life—nature, food, music, photos, lifestyle. I think my style is definitely more authentic. Images are natural looking and my “voice” is simple, sometimes using a little humor and sarcasm.
AT: Combine the following: One part foodie, one part lifestyle, one part Columbus,Ohio enthusiast, one part marketing. Add a generous pour of dog lover and a splash of wine. Shake vigorously and garnish with a twist of sass.
Do you think personal branding is more or less important today than it was three years ago?
MM: I’m sure it depends on your career path. For a creative field, I believe it’s more important than ever. We are becoming an increasingly social society. Connections you make online are real, and have a similarly real potential of becoming offline connections. You never know who might stumble across your profile and want to work with you!
LG: Interesting thought. I would think it is more important today, in today’s culture where it’s easy for anyone and everyone to establish a personal brand. Social media allows people to portray a particular self-image to the world that they create and control. The average human can produce decent content regardless of their actual photography skills, not to mention we have endless inspiration at our fingertips. However, I also think it is getting more and more difficult to distinguish yourself, which in turn makes it more and more important to be able to distinguish yourself. Again, especially in our industry.
AT: Definitely more. As I mentioned above, it’s not enough to just show up with a resume these days. Your personal brand is your living and evolving resume. It tells prospective employers so much more about you than a sheet or two of paper. Plus, a personal brand often invites some really fun brand partnerships along the way. In my personal life, I’ve had the opportunity to partner with brands ranging from organic soap to fancy dog food to stationary.
As a CM, what are your thoughts on the importance/non-importance of maintaining a personal brand?
MM: I believe it’s highly important to reflect what you want to attract in life — whether online or offline. That said, I don’t think a personal brand should ever be rigid or fixed. We’re human freaking beings. We don’t have brand standards. We are fluid entities capable of change and adaptation. Your personal brand should NOT inform your life. Your life should inform and then inspire your personal brand.
LG: Crucial. Practice what your preach!
AT: I agree with Laura. Practice what you preach! Maintaining a personal brand is your chance to show yourself, your passions, your interests and your skills off. It shouldn’t be a chore, it should be a natural extension and curated glimpse into the life you live.
When you interview someone for a CM opening, what role does personal branding play in your consideration of that applicant?
MM: To me, it’s huge. I delight in taking down the candidate’s Instagram during the interview and watching their reactions. If they look horrified, I know they haven’t put a lot of thought to their personal brand. If I can see quickly that a candidate can set up a good, solid shot and can write an engaging caption on a consistent basis with a consistent perspective, they’re already up a few rungs on my hiring ladder.
LG: An established personal brand demonstrates an ability to produce quality content. It also shows that they are active participants in the world that Community Managers live in. It shows that they are knowledgeable and capable — or even that they have potential. They may not have a refined personal brand that they know of, but you can see their ability to produce good content.
AT: It’s in my top three. When we interview a potential candidate for a job at Brains on Fire, I’m typically really interested in three things: 1) Their personality and potential fit within the organization. BOF isn’t for everyone, and we are really passionate about hiring people who not only have the skills, but the personality, to thrive and be happy here. We’re constantly building a better, more nimble, crazy talented team. 2) I look at previous work experience. I want to see what you’ve done and how you’ve done it. It doesn’t need to be a big brand. I’m often more impressed by the smart things people have done for tiny brands with tiny budgets than behemoth budgets for big names. 3) Before I get to either 1 or 2, you can rest assured that I have done a deep dive through your personal brand online. When we pare down resumes and prepare for interviews, I look through social to get an idea of who this person is in their day-to-day. In an interview situation, we’re only getting you for thirty minutes or an hour. Your personal brand (or lack thereof) tells me a lot more about you than I can assess in 60 minutes around a conference table.
If you were speaking to a group of college students, what would be the top piece of advice you have about personal branding?
MM: I would tell students to have fun with it. Like I said before, it isn’t a mandate. It’s an opportunity to explore yourself and your storytelling abilities with the story you know best- your own. It’s a creative challenge. If you don’t know how to define it right away, don’t worry, your interests will unfold in the process — so don’t stress about it! Start sharing what you love, where you are, and enjoy the ride!
LG: Reist the temptation to be something that your not. Find the beauty and value in what you love. There is no right or wrong answer for a personal brand. It’s unique to everyone. Find what inspires you, and keep in mind that your brand may (and probably will) continue to evolve as you do as a person.
AT: Being young is not an excuse for poor judgement. What you post online lives forever and it matters…long after the moment has passed. What may seem cute or funny at 19 will likely horrify you at 26. (I’ll be the first ti admit I’m glad social media wasn’t a thing recording our every move when I was in college!) When you share or post something, look at it through the lens of a prospective boss. Would you want to hire you? If the answer isn’t a resounding YES, it might be time to reconsider what you’re saying and sharing.
What’s the hardest part about managing communities and managing your personal brand? Any tips on making that easier?
MM: I guess that would be time management. Managing communities never stops, and it’s easy to focus solely on paying clients (rather than your personal brand), even in your “free time.” (Community managers everywhere are loling right now…). My best advice is to compartmentalize when you can and take time to put effort towards your own personal brand, especially on nights and weekends. It’s worth it!
LG: Time! I am constantly on other accounts producing content and publishing for their social media channels. It’s so easy to neglect my personal channels. I try my best to carve out time, but it doesn’t happen very often.
AT: I’m rounding up the pack in agreement. Time is an endangered resource in Community Manager world. I don’t have a magic bullet to make it any easier, but I think the answer is that you just have to force yourself to make time for you. Letting your personal brand fall to the wayside at the expense of clients sounds like a sacrifice, but it actually does both sides of the equation a disservice. You cannot be the best version of yourself as a Community Manager unless you are out there living it on a daily basis. You need to be immersed in the social world in order to see what others are doing. Your personal brand is your place to try and experiment before you take the “best of” lessons and apply those strategies to your clients.
Who is your personal branding role model?
MM: Easy: Justina Blakeney. Her feed is vivacious and her voice is strong. Her entire perspective is drool-worthy. I just want to be her friend! I also love @igorjosif, the founder of Urban Jungle Bloggers. He’s a traveller, plant lover and a great storyteller. He’s also very engaging & active in the community which I appreciate as a fellow plant enthusiast.
LG: Not to be cheesy, but for sure Moe Megan. She is a killer mentor and has taught me so much already. She is an inspiration in personal branding and really just in life in general. I have no clue how she does all that she does—she’s a bad-ass goddess powerhouse of a woman.
AT: I love @alliepal and @thehomesteady. Both of their Instagram accounts make me want to cuddle up with a blanket and a book. And make all the crafts. And enjoy all the snacks. And maybe paint some rooms in my home. Definitely buy more houseplants. Plan a visit to New England or the PACNW. And absolutely cuddle all the puppies.
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