http://sidit.org

While I half agree with the concept, I can’t jump on board completely. Personal brand is just the term I give my online persona. That is, what I want people to know and think about me online. In essence, I’m setting the agenda about myself. I’m telling people what to think about me without them knowing. If I didn’t do it here, I would have to leave it up to personal contact (emails, phone calls and god forbid face-to-face communication), and I wouldn’t be thinking about it then.

I’ll admit, as a public relations student, i’m more apt to creating a “personal brand,” but it shouldn’t be something everyone ignores. Before some interview appointments last week, I was tasked with “researching” some of the candidates. I’m sure you can guess how I based my reports? Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, blogs and other various online resources lent me enough knowledge about these individuals that I could form a basic idea about their personalities, ideas and opinions. Creppy? Yes. The even scarier part? My formed opinions were mostly correct. It happens all the time and not just at my company. People want to know who they’re meeting and who may be working for/with them in the future.

The term “personal brand” may be a phase, but the act of telling people what to think about you has been going on for years. Resumes, thank you letters, job applications and prescreen phone calls are all forms of older personal branding. The methods may have changed, but the reason for doing such things has not. It’s basic: we want people to think we’re the best fit.

I’m not saying people should hide their personality online. I’m saying they should craft it. If I don’t know you and I have a meeting with you, i’m going to Google you. I’m not the only person who will do that, and that’s a fact. What should Google say about you? Are you a reality TV watching junkie who lives vicariously through the personas you watch or are you a crazy cat person who watches LOL videos all day? Either way, I don’t care. It just shows who you are, and while you should be conscious of what you put in the public eye, you can’t and shouldn’t change who you are. It won’t work. Be cautious about your online antics, and post things that will lend to an overall view about yourself. If you want people to know you party, throw up pictures of red Solo cups. Just don’t forget to let everyone know you read a bunch of blogs about party planning first. Be conscious of your audience here too. A 62-year-old hiring manager won’t appreciate your shenanigans last Friday, but a 26-year-old entrepreneur just might get it.

There’s always something someone can do better. Pick the thing you do best and showcase it. Keep your social media profiles in sync. Use the same colors, tag lines, photos, etc. It helps me remember who you are, especially if the same headshot is plastered on every profile.

So, in short, personal brand as a concept isn’t new. As a term, it is. Your online personality will set the agenda for how and what people think about you. Keep it consistent, and make sure you’re posting stuff you want people to know and think about. By doing this, you’ll create a persona for yourself. A brand, if you will.