Since my freshman year, I’ve heard the ever-so-popular networking phrase, “it’s not what you know, it’s who you know.”
Wrong. It doesn’t matter how many business cards you’ve collected, how thick your Rolodex is or how many connections you’ve made on social networking sites. What does matter is who knows you.
And to make sure people know who you are, go back to square one of the networking game: creating the brand called “you.”
Here’s my take:
- Be unique. Know what you’re good at and let others know it, too. Do you stay ahead of new media trends? Are you passionate about a social issue? Having a speciality will help define who you are and give you an edge over your competitors.
- Be versatile. After you’ve identified what makes you different, don’t forget to show interests outside your area of study or profession. Be able to willing to venture outside your comfort zone.
- Be consistent. Do you have a Facebook, LinkedIn or Twitter account? Make sure they follow the same messaging and are identifiable with your brand. It seems simple, but you might be surprised how many people use different names, profile pictures and personalities on different networks.
- Be proactive. Create your brand before someone else does it for you. Branding yourself is part of your own reputation management, and if you’re able to manage it yourself, you’ll be able to defend it.
What’s your brand?
j
