Podcast 93 - Using LinkedIn to build your personal brand

Let’s talk about using LinkedIn to build your personal brand Most professionals now have a LinkedIn profile – but how much thought have they given to the message they are sending to those they connect with? In this podcast, personal branding expert Jane Anderson talks to me about using LinkedIn to build your personal brand and why project managers, specifically, should do so. Jane has helped thousands of people with their communication and presentation skills by encouraging them to look at themselves through the eyes of their customers. Her LinkedIn profile is among the top 1% most viewed globally. With a background in sales and leadership development, Jane’s clients have included Virgin Australia, IKEA, LEGO, Mercedes Benz, Rio Tinto and the Australian Medical Association. She holds a Bachelor of Business in Marketing, a Diploma of Workplace and Business Coaching and Certificate IV in Assessment and Workplace Training. Jane is a regular keynote speaker on personal impact and recently spoke at the 2015 REINSW Women in Real Estate Conference with Tracey Fellows, Mia Freedman and Kerri-Anne Kennerley. Points raised in this podcast: Project managers spend a lot of time promoting their qualifications or certifications but don’t often promote their own leadership style and personality. Focusing purely on credibility can make you come across as two-dimensional and lacking personality. Project managers can benefit from building a profile that has a strong sense of who they are and the types of projects they excel in. The best LinkedIn users are consistent, authentic, visible and accessible. Liking or sharing content that has nothing to do with your area of expertise can water-down or confuse your message. Keeping your message consistent is one of the simplest ways of using LinkedIn to build your personal brand and, in doing so, build trust. Project managers with conscious awareness and consistent curation of their personal brand are often more likely to be chosen for projects. Your profile should focus on your dream role, not your past. LinkedIn should be considered a search engine. Be sure the words that your potential employer would search for are used in your profile. LinkedIn eliminates the need for project managers to wait idly for job opportunities to arise, instead giving them direct access to potential employers who they can approach at any time. Don’t focus solely on the amount of likes, shares and comments you receive. Stick with your message, and continue to be consistent, and your engagement should slowly build. Project managers who are struggling with their personal brand can consider getting an expert to have a hard look at their profile.   View Jane’s LinkedIn profile View Jane’s book: IMPACT: How to Build Your Personal Brand for the Connection Economy View Jane’s book: CONNECT: How to Leverage your LinkedIn Profile for Business Growth and Lead Generation Listen to this Podcast: