This week, I had an opportunity to read an advance copy of Dan Schawbel’s Me 2.0: Build a Powerful Brand to Achieve Career Success (April 2009). The focus of the book is on personal branding. However, the emphasis is on how Web 2.0 tools play an integral role in building your personal brand. While Schawbel is targeting younger audiences, if you’re looking for a job or worried that you may be looking for a job in the near future, this is a must read–no matter what your age.
Times have changed.
As Schawbel points out “Back then [Diane's note: I’m assuming by "back then" he means the dark ages when I was typing up resumes on my Selectric IBM typewriter], a resume and a cover letter were the sole criteria for the job application screening process. . . . Candidates who appeared qualified on paper were granted standard interviews; hiring managers had only a resume, cover letter and a standard interview at their disposal. It was challenging for candidates to express themselves freely, showcase their full range of talents and stand out from the crowd.”
That statement captures the heart of this book. Readers of Me 2.0 shouldn’t be thinking of “social networking is something I HAVE to do,” but really, it should be something I “want” to do because it’s a way to distinguish myself from the rest of the pack.
Over at the Downtown Women’s Club, we survey businesswomen about online networking. What struck me while reading Schawbel’s book is that each year, four of the top five reasons women choose not to network online are always “it’s too impersonal,” “I can’t leverage my personality,” “I’m better on the phone or in person” or some variation of the same. Yet, Web 2.0 is all about letting your personality shine through, even when focusing on your career.
As Schawbel puts it: “Social media will put the personality into resumes.”
Throughout the book, Schawbel explains exactly how to build an online personal brand. Along the way, he has some terrific quotes from people that really emphasize the main point of Me 2.0: How we go about managing our own careers has changed.
“In a world where there are no more corporate ladders to land on, your brand is the platform your career will stand on.”
- Penelope Trunk, career columnist
“Until roughly five years ago, finding great talent was like finding a needle in a haystack. Today it’s like finding a needle in a stack of needles.”
- Harry Joiner, executive recruiter
“I believe the effect will be less ‘applying’ for jobs, more of employers finding you.”
- Libby Sartain, chief people officer, Yahoo!
“For those that embrace these new personal branding tools, ‘Google me’ is the new business card, and thus, the blog and social network profile [are] the new resume.”
- Jeremiah Owyang, senior analyst, Forrester Research
So, enough about why you should build a personal brand with social media. Here are some of Shawbel’s tips on how to do it:
Step 1: Discover your brand.
He starts this section by focusing on the three key elements of effective personal branding:
- A strong personal value statement
- A plan to differentiate your brand
- A powerful marketing strategy
This is followed by a number of tips on everything from appearance to communicating in person as well as online. He also talks about how to make a personal marketing plan, conduct a SWOT analysis (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats), and create budget and action plans.
Step 2: Create your brand.
In this section he looks at the different things you’ll need to enhance your resume:
- Resume (traditional, LinkedIn and video)
- Portfolio (CD/print/website)
- Interviewing skills
- Blogs
- Online social networking sites
Of note in this section was the statement that by 2011, 50 percent of online adults will be active in social networking platforms. “Before long, when meeting others, fewer people will ask you for your phone number or e-mail address; more frequently they will either Google your name or add you as a friend in a social network. If you aren’t actively involved in social networks, you will be at a competitive disadvantage in both being recruited professionally and interfacing with your friends, family, fellow employees and potential key contacts.”
I liked how he closed the section with an emphasis that your online and offline brand presence must be consistent. As anyone who has ever dabbled in online dating would know, “[D]on’t create a false expectation for those who get to know your e-brand who’ll be disappointed when they meet you offline.”
Step 3 & 4: Communicate your brand/maintain your brand.
In these next two sections there were lots of tips for using social networks, personal press releases, blogs, etc., to further your brand. I appreciated the big emphasis on “search.” It seems that in today’s society, it’s less and less who you know, but who can find you.
The final section: entrepreneurs
At first I felt this section was just tacked on here, but in retrospect, a lot of the book focused on getting a job and a traditional career, so it was a nice addition to apply the Me 2.0 philosophies directly to entrepreneurship (although clearly almost everything else in the book applied). Yet, there is one difference in personal branding when it comes to entrepreneurs–in many cases, much of an entrepreneur’s personal brand is wrapped up in his or her company brand.
Top Shelf Bottom Line: If you have been avoiding the social media phenomena, this book does a good job of pointing out that you do so at your own career peril. If you are just getting out of college and have made social use of online networks, it can also serve as a guide for how social media should be used in a positive manner to help (not hinder) your career prospects. Finally, for entrepreneurs, it’s a primer for how you should be marketing yourself and your services/products. Me 2.0 is an easy, thought-provoking read and recommended for anyone who may find themselves back on the job market with only a paper resume as a calling card.
This entry was posted on Saturday, November 29th, 2008 at 10:57 am and is filed under Nonfiction. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.6 Responses to “Me 2.0–Just Like Me, Only Better”
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November 29th, 2008 at 1:03 pm
This book is going to tip the scales from cynicism into reality for many many people.
I am looking forward to it being published, should rocket up the charts!
November 30th, 2008 at 9:05 pm
[...] “Enough about me, what do you think about me.” [...]
December 1st, 2008 at 12:08 pm
An excellent example of site where users can build an online identity is http://www.nuresume.com. Users create an online portfolio page complete with a resume, photos, videos, blogs, groups, forums, chats and social networking.
December 3rd, 2008 at 8:08 pm
Interesting article here, I really enjoyed how informative it was and loved the topic at hand, Thank you for sharing this with me.
January 2nd, 2009 at 10:17 am
Great review, Diane. I will definitely check it out. I’m certain in would be a great resource for me and marketing my business.
May 8th, 2009 at 3:20 am
greats article, vey informatives. thanks