To reference my previous post I am somewhat of a newbie to social media. I’m on Twitter and other online applications and I proudly fancy myself “A blogger” (this will be my fourth ever post). The question becomes what now? I’m out there is that enough? Some may say yes, but many will argue no. The end all goal is networking, forming trusted relationships with those who share common interests. People choose to invest in building a relationship with you based on your online personality. Personal branding is the process by which we market ourselves to others. The best way to do this is to connect online with people on a human level and offer real value. Your brand is similar to a corporate or product brand in the way that it’s a promise of the value customers will receive for investing their time in you.

A recent survey conducted by MSN Canada and Ipsos Reid found that four of ten Canadians don’t know how to use the Internet to promote themselves or career. That’s a lot of people and companies out there possibly harming their reputation simply by not knowing right from wrong.

I quote Mitch Joel, President of Twist Image and an expert in personal branding online, “If managed incorrectly [your personal brand] can have negative consequences when it comes to getting a job, advancing your career or maintaining a positive reputation.” Your personal brand includes everything from alias, e-mail names and photographs. If you post a comment on a reputable site under your Luv_2_Partay alias will it be taken seriously, likely not?

A study in 2006 done by ExecuNet found that 77% of recruiters use search engines to check out potential job candidates. How much do you think that number has increased in recent years? Everyday there are between 25 million to 50 million proper name searches in search engines. Here’s a tip for finding out what’s already out there about your personal brand, Google your name or alias. It’s a great method for finding out what other people see regarding the brand that is you.

Below I’ve attached some links to insightful articles regarding personal online branding:

Personal Branding 101

Personal Branding 102

Image is Everything

I read a pretty compelling, albeit morbid, email the other week from Jason Calcanis, founder of Mahalo. He spoke about “The Start-up Depression” in the wake of current economic conditions in the US. He followed up with an equally forceful article titled, “Good News for People who Hate Bad News“. It sounded more like Armageddon was imminent. His words were harsh and foreboding:

“The severity of what has happened can’t be underestimated. There will be no white knight. Even the massive coordinated government action–including the first global rate cuts and bail outs–has done nothing to stop the panic or create a bottom (at least from where I sit). Bottom line: there is zero chance of a short or medium term-rebound. Zero.”

It’s clear that he’s not overexaggerating. Market conditions are impacting investing. Here are some harsh realities:

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