The importance of Personal Branding for Employers and Students

Background
Business mogul James Caan, has said when asked about the importance of
personal branding and having an online presence in business Social media has
revolutionised the way we do business. There is no excuse for ignoring that and if
you do, youll never get anywhere (Caan, 2014) 1. In the world we live in today,
the conventional CV/Rsum tend to be more and more generic, filled with
buzzwords and jargon. In order to positively differentiate yourself from others in
the eyes of a potential employer/ business contact, it is now more imperative
than ever to have a strong personal brand, as well as a well-managed online
presence. Both of these come together hand in hand and this report will first
outline the current research, then it will go onto to cover issues and implications
before making some recommendations regarding the importance of personal
branding.
Current Research
LinkedIn is the world's largest professional network with more than 187 million
members, reaching over 200 countries in the world. Its aim is to connect the
worlds professionals to make them more productive and successful. 2 They count
executives from all Fortune 500 companies. Its corporate talent solutions are said
to be used by 85 of the Fortune 100 (Tombrakos, 2012)3. Current research
into LinkedIn shows it is one of, if not the most powerful tools used by business
professionals for personal branding and networking. A well thought out and
presented LinkedIn profile makes you visible to the people that need you, and
your skills. It gives potential employers a chance to have a first impression of
you, even before youve had a chance to meet them.
In todays world, with the ever growing online presence of business, whether we
like it or not, employers will already be looking at our presence online, before you
even know about it. A well-structured digital profile is a reflection of who you
are, what youve done and what youd like to do. It is opportunity to sell yourself
and tell your story in the way in which you want it told, and put across your own
unique brand. It is for these reasons that it is important for people who wish to
be successful in the business world, to have a sound understanding of the
importance of personal branding. You must able to utilise LinkedIn efficiently and
use it as a tool to make you as a brand, as a person and as a potential
investment for employers, stand out from the crowd.
Current Issues
Even though the idea of having an online presence is one that is almost certainly
valuable to a person or a business. Not all online personal branding tools are
100 percent perfect. A lot of users have experienced negative issues when using
social networking as a personal branding tool. One issue surrounding the use of

LinkedIn in particular, is the fact that building up your profile may be quick and
easy initially, it requires of a lot of time investment. The nature of the website is
to create many different avenues for users to take advantage of, all ultimately
aiding the progression of creating valuable connections and links. However,
because there is vast array of resources for a personal to get their head around
and utilise, such as groups, answers and the process of making connections,
the process can become rather long winded. This can even lead to a negative
portrayal of your brand, if you dont know what to do and how to do it. (Richards,
2012)4
Another issue surrounding personal branding and presence online is in regards to
the nature of social networking and the use social media as a tool. The very
essence of using such tools means that what you put on your online space is put
out to be viewed by almost anyone at any time. Of course there a various way to
protect your privacy throughout social networks such as LinkedIn, Facebook and
Twitter. However, information shared or put onto your account without exercising
caution can indeed hinder your online reputation. These include things such
outdated references, inappropriate pictures/files uploaded or shared, and
behaviour in general that can be seen online as unprofessional, or unethical.
Figures from a survey carried out in the USA by Microsoft show that of all the
people who took a survey, 56 % dont actively think about the consequences of
their online activities. A further 14% of all people surveyed showed that they
had experienced negative consequences due to their online activities. Out of
this 14%, 21% were actually sacked from a job, 16% report to have lost out on
getting a job.5 This is all due to the fact that not everyone is conscious about the
material they are putting online. The figures shown in this survey, may not give
an overall picture, but help to illustrate the issue of people not being consciously
aware of the detrimental effects that your content may have on your online
reputation. This of course, if viewed by potential employers, current employers
or business connections can result in negative implications on your career and
working life.
Implications
The implications that the use of personal branding and having an online
presence are having on our life is massive. The role of things such as LinkedIn
and other social networking platforms are becoming bigger and bigger. The
outlook on job hunting has changed tremendously. Handing out CVs to potential
employers has almost become a thing of the past. In todays climate, it is key for
employers and people looking for jobs, to use online tools. Figure published in
2013, show that an astonishing 94% of recruiters use LinkedIn to gather potential
candidates6 (Smith, 2015). These figures show a staggeringly high number of
people looking to fill job roles (recruiters) use online tools to source potential
candidate. This reinforces the changes which are taking place in the business

world as we know it, graduates and business people in general will typical have a
greater chance in job hunting if they have a well thought out online existence.
In the case of graduates, it is very clear that if an individual is looking to delve
into the world of business, they must think in depth about how to market
themselves and how to build up a reputable brand once they have left university.
Social media of course is the best means in which to get your brand out there,
so to speak, and it is essential to be networking with existing employees of their
chosen employers and building their profiles with their career in mind rather than
their social life (Hever, 2015) 7. It is also important to bear in mind that there
many different platforms which will assist you in building your brand, and
attracting or impressing employers. Not only is LinkedIn a staple in the eyes of a
graduate and employer, but there are other means in which to get your brand
out there. Things such as blogs and not only using Twitter, Facebook, Pintrest
etc, but integrating all of these together so that they all point in the right
direction. This in the sense that they are all well maintained, and the overriding
themes across the board of platforms, all help establish a clear and focused
brand of yourself. (Hever, 2015)8
Conclusion
From my research it is clear to say that building your own unique personal brand
is imperative for students and indeed most people in the business world. This
idea tied in with the use of online platforms to network with a clear purpose bind
together perfectly. The world we live in today, is rapidly changing. The use of
the internet and the importance of having an online presence is integral. Social
platforms, such as LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and Pintrest, give everyone the
ability to be able to connect and expand online. If we are to embrace this change
going forward, it is key that this idea is spread across the board to all people who
are about to enter the business world. I believe that students in colleges,
schools and universities in particular should be well guided and have a good
understanding into the importance of branding, and how social media and
networks are one the biggest tools that allow you build brands effectively.
1. Caan, J. (2014) Ask James Caan: How do I use social media effectively?. Available at:

2.

3.

4.

5.

http://www.standard.co.uk/business/markets/ask-james-caan-how-do-i-use-social-mediaeffectively-9835296.html (Accessed: 27 January 2016).

Unknown (2015) How LinkedIn can help you. Available at:
https://help.linkedin.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/45/~/how-linkedin-can-help-you (Accessed:
27 January 2016).
Tombrakos, J. (2012) 7 reasons you need A vibrant digital profile. Available at:
http://www.forbes.com/sites/85broads/2012/11/30/7-reasons-you-need-a-vibrant-digitalprofile/#713427504e90 (Accessed: 27 January 2016).
Richards, L. (2012) Disadvantages of Linkedin. Available at:
http://yourbusiness.azcentral.com/disadvantages-linkedin-3597.html (Accessed: 27 January
2016)
Unknown (2012) What does your online image project about you? Infographic, video, and
research from Microsoft. Available at: http://ilookbothways.com/2012/01/30/what-does-your-

online-image-project-about-you-infographic-video-and-research-from-microsoft/ (Accessed:
27 January 2016).
6. Smith, C. (2015) 12 interesting LinkedIn job statistics,Social Media, 15 January. Available at:
http://expandedramblings.com/index.php/linkedin-job-statistics/ (Accessed: 29 January 2016).
7. Hever, A. (2015) How to use social media to get a graduate job. Available at:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/universityeducation/student-life/11359730/How-to-usesocial-media-to-get-a-graduate-job.html (Accessed: 27 January 2016).
8. Hever, A. (2015) How to use social media to get a graduate job. Available at:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/universityeducation/student-life/11359730/How-to-usesocial-media-to-get-a-graduate-job.html (Accessed: 27 January 2016).