Now, let’s have a look at another group of tools for networking, developing relationships and building your personal brand. These tools are all the more important as many professional opportunities and contacts take place online.
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β Networking: establishing, developing, connecting and building relationships
Networking is not just about collecting new contacts and exchanging information. It has a much broader potential, as building relationships can open up whole new possibilities for collaboration, becoming part of new communities and networks. Networking also allows us to gain new professional opportunities. Engage in discussions, meet people in the industry and share experiences. In today’s world, networking may sometimes be a slower but more sustainable way to build strong professional relationships.
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β Personal brand: creating a trusted identity
A personal brand refers to everything that people think of when they say our name. It is all the associations that are associated with us. Our reputation, our values, our uniqueness, our focus, our personality. Building a personal brand is used for self-presentation, promotion, but also to gain trust among colleagues, clients and the wider environment. A personal brand is not only important for freelancers and entrepreneurs, but it also becomes important for everyone who speaks on the job market and applies for jobs. When creating a personal brand, it’s important to build a consistent and authentic self-image across all the online tools we use to do so.
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π Let’s now take a look at what specific digital tools can be useful for us to purposefully build our professional network and personal brand.
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We will now look at specific digital tools that are used for networking, relationship building and personal branding. Which of these tools are you familiar with? Which ones do you use? And what is your experience with them? If they’re new to you, it’s sure to be an interesting and exploratory journey. There are links to tutorials, how-to guides and help centres to help you get to grips with the tools.
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Overview of networking and personal branding tools
- Social networks for career building and networking:
- LinkedIn: the best-known professional network for self-presentation, networking, sharing experiences, finding job opportunities and continuing education
- Facebook, Instagram, TikTok: social networks for reaching a wider audience, which varies from platform to platform. They also serve to promote and build a wider community.
- Personal website and portfolio:
- WordPress, Wix, Google Sites, Weebly: tools for creating a professional web business card or portfolio to showcase products and services.
- Community applications:
- Discord, Reddit, Meetup, Lunchclub: community apps and forums with opportunities for professional networking, knowledge sharing and networking
- Virtual networking and events
- Clubhouse: audio social network where you can join discussions on various professional topics
- Remo, Hopin, Eventtia, SpotMe: platform for virtual conferences, webinars, trade shows and networking
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π Resources:
- WordPress: https://wordpress.com/learn/
- Wix Video Library: https://www.wix.com/learn/library
- Google Help Center: https://support.google.com/sites/
- Linkedin Tutorial: https://www.linkedin.com/learning/learning-linkedin-19899255
- Slack vs Discord – Ultimate Guide for Community: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3g0hKtgZu7k
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π Examples of use:
Having your own LinkedIn profile is useful not only for entrepreneurs and freelancers, but also for others who want to make new connections and get the word out. Try creating your own profile or improving it with a LinkedIn tutorial. And you might not believe it, but it’s worth making a personal page to refer potential clients or employers to.
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π Now your portfolio of digital tools has already expanded significantly. Maybe you’re thinking further afield and thinking about how digital tools could help you in your own business. That’s what the next section will be about.
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