I work with Dan as an editor for Personal Branding Magazine, so I’m delighted to review his book, Me 2.0. If you’re a regular reader, you have already learned about Dan and a bit about the book on my blog, but now that I have had a chance to read it, I thought I would share some highlights!
First, and most importantly, what is personal branding? Dan describes it as:
“…The process by which individuals and entrepreneurs differentiate themselves and stand out from a crowd by identifying and articulating their unique value proposition, whether professional or personal, and then leverage it across platforms with a consistent message and image to achieve a specific goal. In this way, individuals can enhance their recognition as experts in their field, establish reputation and credibility, advance their careers and build self-confidence” (p. 4).
Who can benefit from reading this book? It’s a great choice for job seekers and entrepreneurs who are looking for ways to differentiate in this competitive market. While the target audience is Generation Y, I believe the information is useful for ANYONE hoping to stand out and get noticed.
Dan’s step-by-step guide takes the reader through several stages:
- Brand discovery
- Brand creation
- How to communicate the brand
- Suggestions regarding how to maintain your brand
My favorite takeaway…
If I’ve said it once, I’ve said it 1000 times – networking is key to job search success. Dan notes that networking and relationship building is one of the many aspects of personal branding.
One of the goals of successful personal branding is to be known in your field or industry for your expertise. Ideally, once you have established this expertise via a campaign of connecting with your peers and colleagues via in-person and online (social) networking, instead of having to apply for jobs, people will find YOU when an opportunity comes up.
It’s not as difficult as it sounds! With the right tools and attitude, I believe that all talented job seekers can discover and share a personal brand in the marketplace. Dan’s book offers a road map of sorts to help readers establish an authentic brand and create a “personal branding toolkit” and suggestions for how to communicate your brand to your target audience.
Dan shares his own ups and downs as part of the book, demonstrating the adage, “If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again” is as true as ever.
If you are authentic, hard working, have something valuable to share, and are willing to see life as a giant networking event” Me 2.0 is just the set of directions that you need to get going. So, what are you waiting for?
I can help you optimize your personal brand for your job search. Contact me if you need some help with your resume, LinkedIn profile and techniques!