The “Conquer Your Career” series is for bold and unapologetically talented professionals who are ready to build more meaningful and fulfilling careers. Each month, Chelsea Jay and Portia Obeng will break down some of the most controversial and trending topics related to the job search. Please read our previous articles, “Everything You Need To Know About Asking for a Raise”, “How to Win at Interviews: Selling Yourself as ‘The One”, “Getting Real About Promotions: Do You Really Want It?” and “Inclusion 101: Advocating for Yourself in the Workplace” and a BONUS “Inclusion 101” article, and leave a comment under the article to let us know what you think!

2020 taught many professionals about the importance of personal brands (outside of the office). One of the most popular platforms for building a solid online reputation is LinkedIn. Everyday, professionals ask us, “how do I start?” and “what do I need to build a strong online brand?” Good news! In this month’s article, we decided to break down the keys to building an online brand that you’re proud of! Grab a pen and paper and get ready to take notes! 

Google Yourself

If you haven’t Googled yourself in the past few months, make sure you do it today! When you perform the search, use an Internet browser that you don’t regularly use and an incognito tab. Lastly, make sure that you’re logged out of all your Google accounts; this will give you neutral search results. As a job seeker or business owner, pay close attention to what appears on the first page of the search results because potential employers and customers will do the same. The actual number fluctuates, but about over 70% of people don’t make it past the first page of search results. Unless you have a very common name; it’s very likely that your social media accounts will show up on the first page of the results, so make sure you’re completely 100% comfortable with whatever you share on social media potentially showing up on the local news. You never know these days! If there is something unfavorable about you on a 3rd party website that doesn’t belong to you, you can request to have it taken down. If that doesn’t work, you can move forward with legal action. 

Hey Now, You’re An All-Star

When you Google yourself, it’s very likely that your LinkedIn page will show up on the first page of the search results. This means you want to make sure you have a LinkedIn profile that fully captures just how dope you are in your career or business. Forget what you heard, LinkedIn is more than your resume online, it’s a dynamic space that allows you to fully communicate your professional profile and highlight how you deliver results. If you want an All-Star LinkedIn profile, make sure you have: 

• A cover/background photo that aligns with your industry

• A profile picture that speaks to your personality; don’t dim your light!

• A Headline that strategically uses keywords from your industry

• An About section that tells people what you do, how you do it, and why you’re so good at it

• An Experience section that explains how you deliver results.

Also, remember to send a LinkedIn message to three of your former colleagues, bosses, or clients and ask for a Recommendation. The more Recommendations you have, the better!

Consistency Is Key

You'll often find that when you ask for advice from “experts” or “thought leaders” in their industry, they often say, “be consistent.” We live in a world that heavily promotes instant gratification in the form of results. This is often far from the truth. If you peek into the journey of those who have a strong online brand and reputation, you’ll clearly see that consistency was at the root of their success. WHY? because consistency breeds growth and improvement. The more you do something the better at it you can become. When building your online brand, you need to keep in mind that high engagement, recognition, and being seen as an expert in your space, does not happen overnight. It often takes months and sometimes years to master the art of building a brand and truly becoming more comfortable with your voice, thoughts, opinions, and the input you provide. 

Once you decide to put yourself out there and build your online brand, there are several questions you need to ask yourself. 

• What do I want to be known for?

• How do I want to make people feel?

• What do I want my audience to learn?

• Am I comfortable using my voice?

• Am I comfortable with criticism or harassment? (Yes, it’s an unfortunate part of the equation)

In order to be consistent, set a realistic schedule for yourself. Despite all the rumors you have probably heard, you do not need to post every single day. It is OK to start off by posting once or twice a week. You can post original thoughts based on your experience or even give your opinion on recent trends in your industry. When posting on any social media platform, make sure to use a few hashtags that are relevant to your industry and topic to ensure that the right professionals see your posts!

If you’re on LinkedIn and you’re not yet comfortable with posting your own thoughts, make sure you consistently engage with others to become more comfortable with putting yourself out there. Follow people in your industry who inspire you and those who discuss topics that you are interested in. Leave thoughtful comments on their posts to further the conversation and make new connections.

Be Authentic

In terms of unlocking the keys to success, right next to consistency is authenticity. Audiences worldwide want original thinkers, people who are bold in their approach, and unwavering in their beliefs. People want to know and accept YOU for YOU. Part of building an online brand that will stand the test of time is having the ability to speak in your voice and share your personality, unapologetically.

Below are a few questions that will help you become comfortable with being more authentic online.

• Why do you believe what you believe?

• Are you comfortable with who you are?

• Do you love yourself unconditionally?

• What makes you unique?

• What do you and your friends love most about your personality?

Knowing yourself inside and out and having the confidence to show who you are to others will help you along your journey of sharing your beliefs and insights online. Remember, being yourself pays off in the long run and it’s something that will be easier to maintain. Also, it’ll make you feel 10xs better knowing that people appreciate you for you!

YOU GOT THIS

You’ve already demonstrated that you know what you’re doing and that you deliver results; you just need to nicely package it. You’re not bragging, you’re simply stating the facts! Let us know how it goes! 

Chelsea Jay is a Nationally Certified Resume Writer (NCRW), Online Branding Expert (NCOPE), and podcast host of “Chelsea’s Career Corner.” She also holds certifications in career and life coaching. 

Chelsea is known throughout the career development industry for her bold, unapologetic, and straight shooter methods when it comes to tackling the job search, building professional brands, and climbing the ladder quickly (with less stress). She helps professionals across the globe rebuild their confidence, improve their mindsets, develop (and execute!) goals and most importantly, building a career with purpose.

Portia Obeng is a social media strategist with nearly 10 years of experience in social media strategy and content management. She started before Snaps were chatted, Instagram had stories, and Tiks were toked; and her current specialties are Instagram and LinkedIn. 

She works to help people and organizations understand how they can use social media, not let social media use them. She encourages them to step away from continuous mindless scrolling and figure out how to use social media to enhance their work, lives, and personal brands. 

 Portia loves being Ghanaian, spicy food, dancing, live music, listening to podcasts, experiencing new countries, and reading a good book (preferably on a beautiful beach in Ghana).