Career Branding Tools for Job-Seekers

LinkedIn profile. You must have a profile on LinkedIn no matter if you are a professional -- or an aspiring professional --, a business-oriented networking site that be made up of millions of skilled professionals from everywhere in the world, on behalf of hundreds of industries from more than 200 countries. When you enter, you can make a profile that can work as both a resume and an introduction to your career brand. Once your profile is finished, you then build networks with other members, getting acquaint with to new people via the people in your network.

Personal Website. No matter where you are in the world, such as Jakarta Indonesia in SE Asia, Florida in USA, or maybe Sydney in Australia. One of the greatest ways to build and promote your career brand is by developing a professional Website that presents your key accomplishments. At a least, you must buy a domain name based on your and publish your resume. Even well, advertise your career portfolio, content-rich articles, and other keyword-filled resources that will lead potential employers searching for someone with your qualifications straight to your site. Read more in my article at Westhill Consulting Career and Employment, Australia.

Twitter account. Each day, more and more individuals and businesses are tweeting information, ideas, links, and more -- all in fewer than 140 characters per tweet (message). Twitter, a networking and micro-blogging site, enables people to connect and communicate -- developing both a following of people as well as following the tweets of others. Tweeting key information, resources, and other professional advice -- while building a following -- is a very easy way to build your career brand.

Professional blog. If you are a decent writer and can commit to writing regularly, creating a professional blog is a great tool for building your career brand where employers can review you and your work. A blog is a specialized Website that focuses on a particular subject (person, industry, profession) that can include news, analysis, commentary, and links in a variety of formats (including print, audio, images, and video). Showcasing your expertise and knowledge of your industry or profession is an excellent way to build your career brand.  

Social networking profiles/accounts. Consider joining at least two social-networking sites. One should be a general social-networking site, such as Facebook, and one should be career-specific (which you can find by searching Google -- most professions have multiple networking sites). While social networking is just that -- social -- remember that networking with others (online and off) is one of the most powerful tools of job-hunting as the majority of jobs are filled through referrals, not through responses to job postings. Warning! Be very careful on using any social networking sites.