7 Personal Branding Tips for Freelancers

7 Personal Branding Tips for Freelancers Personal branding can certainly be a powerful tool for success. When you market your professional services as a one-man-band (or one-woman-band), you are effectively marketing yourself and having people buy into you. A strong personal brand will draw people and opportunities to you like a magnet; it’s both cheaper and more effective than any Yellow Pages listing. The personal branding process is about zeroing in on what you are passionate about, carving out a niche for yourself and consistently adding value to others. It’s not about you fighting the competition; it’s about you being a one-stop-shop for your customers problems. Here are seven benefits of personal branding to freelancers and consultants: 1. Staying unique in your marketplace One of the best features of a strong brand is the sense of individuality and uniqueness it creates in the minds of others. As a small business owner, you cannot hide behind a big corporate logo. Your customers will easily be able to distinguish you from the competition, effectively differentiating your brand by itself. Its important for you to prove that you can provide something that others cannot, so its a good idea to find a niche that you can demonstrate a deep knowledge of and expertise in. 2. Creating awareness for your services Selling any product or service is nowadays down to brand differentiation. Try telling the food from Carluccio’s, Bella Italia and Zizzi’s apart â€" it’s impossible. Your customers no longer see a great difference between products or services, but they do experience a difference in the brand. Just like a restaurant chain uses interior decoration and imagery, your personal brand allows you to influence the perception of others on other levels. 3. Injecting personality into your brand and business What makes plumber A different to plumber B? By adding more personality into your brand, you will add more common ground to your customers. Your brand is deeply rooted in your authentic personal identity. You aim with personal branding is to be known for who you are, what you stand for and what you do for others.  Think about what makes you you. Identify your best or most memorable qualities that you want to be known for and then work on building your identity as a freelancer around them. Your personal brand online and offline should be a fair reflection of value you can add customers and people in your network. 4. Providing a roadmap to success Imagine having a Cicero by your side, always showing you the right path in business. Your brand can become a guiding light for your professional life. The personal brand plan that you put in to place will serve as a roadmap to success and will be there as a reference for you along the journey. Once you have identified what is that you want to achieve, it will make it much easier to work towards achieving your professional goals. Your actions and communications will be fully engrossed in the consistency and authenticity of your brand. 5. Creating a buzz to increase interest from the market How about having a great reputation that precedes you? If someone said you are having a meeting with Richard Branson, you’d probably be very excited although you don’t know him. You have the opportunity to generate more business and grow your customer base effortlessly by ensuring your personal brand is discussed, read, seen and heard. Once the word-of-mouth marketing machine starts, you will get referrals and leads like never before. Creating the buzz will take a good deal of effort and only a long-term action plan with a consistent message will ensure you edge closer to your goal every day. 6. Becoming an expert or thought leader in your field Bear your customer in mind when you look to gain name recognition in your area of expertise. Ensure that your name leaves a lasting positive impression that sets you apart from the competition. To have a great brand you not only have to be good, you have to be different. The differentiation typically comes from aiming for a small niche of your field and completely dominating it. Over time you will gain credibility, respect and even admiration when your name and personal branding statement are repeated to individuals in your target audience. Staying visible online and offline will provide you with the expert status and your strong brand will help you excel in your industry. 7. Achieving more sales, from better clients, in less time Making more money in less time sounds like a dream to most people. Yet, most professionals don’t make a conscious effort to promote their own brand. Your magnetic brand will allow you to attract new customers and others opportunities without even picking up the phone. Once you are well positioned and your personal brand is strong enough, you can raise your fees and choose your clients â€" a luxury for most consultants and freelancers.

6 Reasons You Should Keep Up Your Job Search During the Holiday Season

6 Reasons You Should Keep Up Your Job Search During the Holiday Season As the holiday season draws in, its easy to get distracted by all the festivities going on around you and your job hunt will often  get placed on the back burner. Its a busy time of the year and its a common misconception that hiring managers wont be making any new hires  over Christmas, however this isnt necessarily true and it could actually be a really good time of the year to rev up your job search a bit. With the new year approaching, not only would a new job make a nice fresh start for you, but employers are also focused on reaching their business goals and would also like the peace of mind that there will be someones sitting behind the desk come January. If youre unsure about whether to continue your job search over Christmas, here are a few reasons that you would be silly not to! 1) Theres less competition A lot of job seekers will put a halt to their job search over the holiday period, due to their busy schedules  or the false impression that companies will not be hiring over Christmas. So if youre looking for a job in a competitive field, now is your time to get one up on your competition, while the number of applicants is down. 2) Business continues Just because a lot of us think of the holiday season as a time to take a bit of a break and slow down, that doesnt mean that business comes to a stand still. Hiring continues regardless of the time of the year and the end of the fourth quarter may even be a particularly busy hiring period, as a lot of companies feel the pressure to finalise any new hires before the new year due to business and financial goals. 3) Christmas parties are networking opportunities The Christmas period is jam packed with social events, from big bashes  to festive dinners, so what better opportunity to get networking? You never know who youre going to meet at one of these dos, so get talking and discuss your job search and career plans with people, as they may be able to point you in the direction of a great opportunity. 4) Prevent a job search rut If you slow down your job search  over the holidays, it could make it difficult to get back into the swing of things once you restart it. By continuing your hunt, youll keep the momentum going and wont miss out on any opportunities that arise during this time. 5) Make the most of the time off If youre already in a job it can be difficult to find the opportunity  to work on your job search, so the Christmas break may actually be your perfect opportunity to dedicate some time to it. If you have any days left to use of your annual leave then make the most of them to update your resume and get some applications sent off. 6) Reconnect with existing contacts The holiday season is a good opportunity to touch base with old networking contacts, recruiters and previous employers to wish them happy holidays, as well as provide them with a little reminder that you exist. Dropping them a line on LinkedIn or arranging a catch up could lead to progress in your job search. [Image Credit: Shutterstock]

I Love My Career Case Study- Cristina Amurao So Many Doors Are Opening For Me!

I Love My Career Case Study- Cristina Amurao “So Many Doors Are Opening For Me!” Welcome back to  the “I Love My Career”  series which aims to celebrate women (and my clients) who are stepping up and making HUGE leaps in their careers and businesses. I love sharing the real and raw truth on what it takes to achieve career success.  Over the next few weeks, I will share several case studies from women who are now living their idea lives in their dream careers.   Career Case Study: Christina One of the reasons I love my job is I get to work with ambitious women and let me tell you, Cristina is one of them!  Thanks  Cristina  for sharing your story and inspiring us to keep reaching for our career goals! 1) Tell us about the new career you love! It is everything I was looking for. I am now a Marketing Manager at Logans Roadhouse, and I have  so many opportunities to grow. I am so excited to be part of it. I have plenty of time to  connect with departments, network, and develop new ways of doing things. It was definitely the right move for me. 2) What do you think made the biggest difference in your job search? Identifying  my goals, mission, and values. It was really important for me that I did the inner work before the outer work. Understanding the career path I wanted helped me to be picky about which direction I wanted to go. I was getting offers before, but I knew there was something wrong with them. A  lot of them were in a different location, but very similar. I knew this one was right when I talked to them on the phone and I realized how I could really grow there. I saw all the doors that were going to open up for me. The company has a  bigger footprint, and they think differently.  Understanding what I enjoy and what I wanted to do was critical. I realized growing, developing and taking on new challenges were really important to me. 3) Were there moments of fear and doubt? Yes, I had a counteroffer from the company I worked for. I did already have a job I was comfortable with. They were willing to invest in me and the money was all there. But I had to evaluate whether I should stay or go. It was difficult. Discomfort is good but I was afraid to leave what I was good at. I was comfortable and afraid to start over with  something new. I was doubting my choice to keep  growing, thinking I  should just settle instead. I was perfectly fine  where I was at. I was worried about whether I would be good at something new that I had never done before. I was worried if they would like me at a new company. All those things ran through my mind. Luckily, I had some tools from your courses that helped me and I was able to talk with friends and family too. I reached out to a former boss to talk it through as well. I was still  doubting myself and facing the impostor syndrome wondering if I  was ready for something new. 4) What helped you get over the fear and doubt? I had a phone call with Anna, and I can’t tell you how much I appreciated it. Anna helped me realize that I am in control of my destiny. 5) How did Anna and The Love Your Career Formula help you find a career you love? Anna  helped me develop new habits with my time management  and networking.  I learned to  focus on what’s most important and the big picture. One little step every day helped me and her templates helped me to track my progress and  implement a networking plan. Also, having one-on-one conversations with Anna helped me see that  anything is possible and Anna has been a great inspiration to me. Also, hearing stories from other people and the interviews Anna shared was always  helpful. 6) Lastly, do you have any other advice to women who want to find a career they love too? Focus on the inner work first. What makes you happy in your career? Start with the hard questions that Anna asks in her programs and all the answers will show up. You have to take the world one step at a time and celebrate little successes and victories. My favorite quote is, “All dreams can come true if you have the courage to pursue them by Walt Disney. Have the courage to pursue your career goals  and dont give up. Also, give yourself that time to develop new habits. Sometimes we get so overwhelmed and think that there is no way we can do it all. I loved the way Annas course was structured. Every month we focused on one thing at a time and then continued building on it. That was very helpful. I can’t tell you how much I appreciate everything I have learned from Anna and I am continuing to implement. Ready to find the career you love? Join our Love Your Career Formula 2.0 Group.  

Summer is on the Way! MCG Must Haves for Summer 2015

Summer is on the Way! MCG Must Haves for Summer 2015 Summer is coming and I dont know about you, but I am so ready for it. The sunny days of Spring are here and I am getting geared up for Summer 2015.Fruity cocktails, seaside loungers, blaring music, sand, sun, sea. This is what summer means to me. As much as it sound super laid back it actually entails a whole lot of prep. From working hard for that beach bod to getting the right pair of bikinis, Summer makes women go gaga with both excitement and anxiety! So here you go, a few of my must-haves for Summer. Hope it helps with the am I forgetting anything anxiety that women get just before hitting the beach! Attire Hair Product with Sunscreen   Make sure to have a hair product that will suit your hair type. Your hair gets a lot of work from being in the beach. It gets really brittle and damaged. Take care of them the same way you would your skin. If you want to get more summer fashion inspo,  [amazon template=productasin=B00U9ONCC0] is my fave go to for summer inspiration browsing. Time to face the sun, ladies! Are you ready for summer?

How to Phrase Writing Skills on a Resume

How to Phrase Writing Skills on a ResumeThere are many areas on a resume that may need to be addressed by the hiring manager, but one area of skill you should work on is your writing skills. A resume is your first impression when it comes to the employer, and it will be the last impression they have of you as well.In order to be noticed, your resume should be carefully crafted and offer up some of the most unique qualities you have. As you start to work on a writing resume, there are many key points to cover. Here are some of the areas you will want to work on when creating your resume.* How to Phrase Writing Skills: Writing resumes and cover letters has become an industry in itself. This means there are dozens of people who know how to write to appeal to the reader. For this reason, how to phrase your resume can seem tricky. It takes time to learn how to write a resume properly, so you may want to read and learn from others before you start.* Write Your Resume To Appeal To The Emplo yer: One of the first things employers do is to glance at your resume. You don't want to leave any holes. You want to be able to use a simple language to point out your strengths, your skill sets, and provide up to date references. Remember, this is your first impression, so you want to make sure you impress the employer with your writing skills.* Find A Good Sample Resume: Whether you are looking for a free resume or writing one yourself, there are many samples out there to help you out. The first thing you want to do is find a sample resume or cover letter and follow its instructions. Some will have little to no instructions, while others will have so many directions you could spend weeks going through them.* Look for Non-Competing Skills: When a person looks for something, they usually don't need to use anything as a comparison point. However, there are some types of skills you want to highlight on your resume to draw in the employer. These include things like, 'Team Member', 'Re tired,' and 'Artist.'* How to Phrase Writing Skills: This is a big step for many people. It is easy to see that the skills listed on your resume are not compatible with the type of job you are seeking. If you do not know how to phrase your resume correctly, then you are putting your skills on the table for the employer to see. So you want to be clear on what your resume is showing and try to leave room for an alternative line of thinking.* Look for Academic Accomplishments: Another area to check for on your resume is academic accomplishments. This will allow the employer to see how much you have grown as a person since you were last working. It will also allow the employer to see if you are a better person for the position.

Motivation Monday Leadership starts with YOU

Motivation Monday Leadership starts with YOU Leadership:   It starts with YOU Being a good leader of ones self is equally as important as being a good leader of others. Typically, people who havent been official leaders dont see their leadership skills, but they are there.   As you embark on a new week, think about how you can practice and embrace qualities of great leaders in your daily routine. Here are the 12 Most Attractive Qualities of A Great Leader from one of my new favorite sites, 12Most. 12 Most Attractive Qualities of A Great Leader Posted by Shennandoah Diaz on Sep 6, 2011 Great leaders are a rare breed. Many would argue that some people are natural born leaders.  However, I believe that becoming a great leader takes commitment and effort. Becoming a great leader isn’t about charisma or chance.  It’s about developing the skills necessary to lead, motivate, and influence people in good and bad times. Although there are many skills that make someone a leader, here are twelve key traits that make a person a great leader. 1. They’re lifelong learners Great leaders never stop learning about their industry, themselves, their team, and how to best motivate their people. They realize that there is never a point when you “know it all.” There is always something new to learn. 2. They listen Great leaders understand the 2:1 ratioâ€"two ears and one mouth. Leaders don’t just bark orders. They listen to their team, their customers, their peers, and their competitors because they know it is the best way to understand a situation so they can make the best decision possible. 3. They accept and validate input Great leaders don’t operate in a vacuum assuming that they always know best.  They know to consider input from everyone impacted by a decision in order to get buy-in from their team, stay grounded and remain objective. Although they retain final say, they’re team will stand behind the decision knowing that they’re input was wholeheartedly weighed and considered. 4. They consider the past, present and future Great leaders understand where their organization has been, where it’s at, and where it’s going. They don’t only barrel forward, ignoring what’s happening now, nor do they ignore the lessons learned from past experiences. Instead they take a balanced approach so they can adjust, maintain, and move forward. To read the other 8 qualities, please visit the full post here. Shennandoah Diaz Shennandoah Diaz is the CEO and Master of Mayhem of Brass Knuckles Media, an uncensored PR Marketing firm catering to innovative, socially conscious experts and businesses. Diaz is the Rebel Leader of the Brass Knuckles Revolution, a movement teaching people how to live up to their potential while also doing something meaningful for others. She accomplishes this by teaching social entrepreneurship and mentoring people on how to build meaningful organizations through such outlets as Sharp Skirts, Next Fest, and Tech Ranch Austin. So heres what Im asking: During these transitional times (both globally and personally), what we all need now are better leaders!   We each have a role to play and therefore, my challenge to you this week is BE A GREAT LEADER!

How to boost and prepare your job search for 2018 - CareerEnlightenment.com

How to boost and prepare your job search for 2018 As 2018 draws nearer and then gets underway, its a good time to look for a job either to kick off or to further your career. The digital age is now upon us, and finding new opportunities, or being discovered by recruiters, involves a different approach than it did in yesteryear.Read on for a look at how you can boost and prepare your job search for 2018 so that you can position yourself as the ideal candidate for the job of your dreams.Social MediaRecent research from CareerBuilder shows that 70% of employers use social media as a candidate-screening tool prior to hiring, which is up from 60% in 2017 and 11% in 2006. And 54% of employers have identified content on social media that convinced them not to hire a candidate. Inappropriate pics, discriminatory comments, poor communication skills, and even excessively frequent posting were just some of the reasons employers said they have rejected candidates. What this means is that you need to be mindful about what you post and even how much you post if you want to use social media to help, rather than hinder, your job search.Digital ResumesAs was mentioned before, the digital are is upon us, and this extends even to resumes. In order to stand out, you can build a professional website that is specifically designed to showcase your resume in a digital format that employers can readily access. Another way you can get that digital resume you need is with an effective LinkedIn profile.With around half a billion users from around the world, LinkedIn is a great site for people looking for work, as well as for employers looking for workers. With a detailed profile that lists your education, work history, and volunteer experience, you can position yourself for success even as you ring in the new year. Want to Read More Articles Like This One?Sign up here to receive weekly updates from Career Enlightenment, and never miss another powerful job searching tip! SUBSCRIBE! You have Successfully Subscribed!We hate spam too. Unsubscribe any time. Advanced DegreeYou can improve your job prospects in 2018 by earning an advanced degree. A U.S. Census Bureau report shows that 33.4% of Americans who are at least 25 years old claimed that they had earned an undergraduate degree or higher. Of that amount, 21% have earned an undergraduate degree, 9.3% have earned a masters degree, close to 2% have earned a doctoral degree, and 1.5% have obtained a professional degree that necessitates study over and above a four-year undergraduate program.When you consider that certain senior level positions may require advanced degrees, you can see how earning one might facilitate your career trajectory. And in positions where an advanced degree might not be a prerequisite, fulfilling the requirements to get one can help to set you apart from the competition.MobileOne aspect of this digital era is the rise of the mobile workforce. With mobile devices, mobile apps, and high-speed Internet, its now possible to work virtually fro m anywhere. Whether youve just graduated and are in the hunt for job to start your career or are a professional who wants to find a new job to improve your career trajectory, your next job in 2018 may give you the opportunity to work remotely. Millennials are particularly interested in remote working opportunities as 68% of millennial job seekers said that the opportunity to work remotely would substantially boost their interest in employers that offered such work options.Another study cited U.S. Bureau of Labor stats showing that in 2016, 22% of workers said that they worked remotely some or all of the time, up from 19% 12 years prior. The better prepared you are to participate in the mobile workforce, the better positioned you’ll be to pounce on opportunities.RelationshipsWhen it comes to getting ahead on the job front in 2018, youll need to learn (if you havent already done do) to work well with others. So, doing a good job isnt just about achieving deliverables on time and to exact specifications; its also about building good relationships with coworkers and managers. In fact, getting ahead in the workplace may be next to impossible if you don’t put in the effort needed to build constructive and positive relationships.A new year brings new opportunities to get ahead in your career. Whether you’re just starting out or are looking for a new job to further your career, these tips can help you to stand out for all of the right reasons.