Higher Education Edition

Creating an Effective Personal Brand

we are already

branded

LEARNING OBJECTIVE

Implement at least three effective professional branding strategies as you develop your career in higher education.

Agenda

• Learn about brands• Write your brand• Discover digital tools for personal branding• Practice your brand

1) Having a personal brand is optional2) Social media is personal branding3) You can’t change your brand4) Only job seekers need a personal

brand

4 Myths of Branding

Branding Questions– What is your vision and purpose?– What are your values and passions?– What are your top goals for the next year, two years, and five years?– What are three or four adjectives best describe the value you offer? – What words do you use to define your personality?– What are your core skills? Get feedback from those who know you best – at

work, at home, anywhere. – What are your strengths and weaknesses?– Who is your target audience? Determine where you want to fit in (industry

and niche area of expertise). Learn what decision makers in that field are looking for and when they’re vetting candidates, and position yourself to capture their attention.

– Who is your competition in the marketplace and what differentiates you from them?

– What does your competition typically have to offer?– What value do you bring to the table that no one else does?

Write your brand

I work with (target audience) to (what problem you solve).

This is how (your impact/results).

Hi, I’m Eva Ennamorato. As a graduate student

focused on communications and new media, I

encourage career-related success for [UWM

students, alumni, and staff] by [providing

practical resources and workshops] to help

them [overcome obstacles and achieve their

goals] with clarity and confidence.

“egosurfing” the practice of Googling one’s name

• Twitter–WeFollow.com, Hootsuite, TweetChats

• Digital Resumes–LinkedIn–about.me, visualize.me

• Blogs–WordPress, Bravesites, among TONS of

other notable platforms

Digital Tools for Personal Branding

Follow your prospects

WeFollow.com

Digital Resumesuniversity.linkedin.com & LinkedInSpecifically tailored news and resources for students and higher education professionals.

vizualize.me & about.meVisual resume

List of blogs by category in Student Affairs240 blogs! Career services, Women’s Issues, Admissions, Academic Advising…

What about blogs?

PROS CONS

Easy to start; little tech knowledge required

Requires a passion and skill for writing. Writing ONLINE

Community bonds across the globe

Requires regular updates

Free platforms available

• Successful adjustment into campus networks through social, emotional, and academic means (Gray, Vitak, Easton & Ellison, 2013)

• “Learning the rules of the college game” (Pascarella and Terenzini 1991)

Research: Higher Ed & Social Media

• Studies confirm college students use social media daily (Junco, 2011, Junco, Heighberger, & Loken 2011; Steinfield, Ellison & Lampe, 2008)

• Social media classroom usage creates study groups, faculty interaction (Cheung, Chiu, & Lee, 2010; Junco, Heighberger, & Loken 2011; Laverie, Rinaldo & Tapp, 2011)

Research: Higher Ed & Social Media

#1 Adoption is your personal choice

#2 At minimum,

be aware of social media basics.

#3 Holistic person – no more two profiles

1. Facebook – create a “fan” page for students to follow2. Twitter – keep your profile public in order to connect

with SA professionals3. Instagram – If you’re profile is public, you will get

random followers4. Blogging – Keep it public; share your wisdom with

others5. Google Alerts – be aware what content is out there on

you. Get alerts when your name is mentioned.

#4 Establish boundaries

#5 Develop an online code of ethics

#sachat: Every Thursday, 12pm CSTStudent Affairs

#satech: Every Tuesday, 12pm CSTStudent Affairs Technology

#casesmc 2nd & 4th Tuesday, 1pm CSTSocial media and advancement

#emchat Thursday, 8pm CSTEnrollment Management Professionals

#strategycar Every Friday, 2pm CSTHigher Ed strategy

#6 Contribute online

#7 Like it or not, you are a brand

TIC-TAC-TOEDiscussion

You rang?

@EvaEnnamoratoUWM Career Development Centercdc.uwm.edu

ReferencesAhlquist, J. (2014, January 9). Student development theory remixed for social media. Retrieved

from http://josieahlquist.com/2014/01/09/studentdevelopmenttheoryremix/Cheung, C. M. K., Chiu, P., & Lee, M. K. O. (2011). Online social networks: why do students use

Facebook? Computers in Human Behavior, 27, 1337-1343. Granz, J. (2013, June 27). More employers finding reasons not to hire candidates on social media.

Retrieved from http://www.careerbuilder.com/share/aboutus/pressreleasesdetail.aspx?id=pr766&sd=6/26/2013&ed=06/26/2013

Gray, R., Vitak, J., Ellison, N., & Easton, E. (2013). Examining social adjustment to college in the age of social media: Factors influencing successful transitions and persistence. Computers & Education, 67, 193-207.

Junco, R. (2011). The relationship between frequency of Facebook use, participation in Facebook activities and student engagement. Computers & Education, 58, 162-171.

Junco, R., Heiberger, G. & Loken, E. (2011). The effect of Twitter on college student engagement and grades. Journal of Computer Assisted Learning (27), 119-132.

Laverie, D. A., Rinaldo, S. B., & Tapp, S. (2011). Learning by tweeting: using twitter as a pedagogical tool. Journal of Marketing Education, 33(2) 193-203.

Pascarella, E. T., and P. T. Terenzini. 1991. How college affects students. San Francisco: Jossey-BasSalpeter, M. (2011). Social networking for career success. (1st ed.). New York: LearningExpress,

LLC.Schwabel, D. (2013). Promote yourself: The new rules for career success. (1st ed.). New York: St.

Martin's Press.