Your path to a
successful career

Sharing your time and talent with others isn’t just something to feel good about; volunteering pays off in different ways that ultimately can drive career advancement.

The efforts you put into volunteer activities are a worthwhile investment of time, whether you lead a professional association committee, serve on the board of a nonprofit, assist with an college alumni event, mentor students, act as a brand ambassador of a charitable organization or even roll up your sleeves on a relief project or mission.

Events of almost any kind provide great opportunities to “get out there” and increase your professional visibility and enable your personal brand to come to life. Whether it’s a conference, networking event, seminar, benefit or party, these gatherings provide an environment ripe for meeting others, expanding your network, building new relationships and strengthening existing ones.

First impressions matter, and your LinkedIn profile is often someone’s first (or second) impression of you when cultivating a professional relationship. Your profile is an important part of your personal brand and since you have complete control over what to include, it’s up to you to put your best foot forward in every section.

“Are you going to wear that?” How many of us heard our mothers ask this question when we were younger? She asked because she knew something important: first impressions matter. Even before you speak a word to someone, how you dress — and what you wear, specifically – can impact both the initial impression you make on others and their subsequent expectations about you. While your style alone cannot guarantee success professionally, it can help shape outcomes of business meetings, networking events and job interviews, for better or worse.

You benefit from a strong and current professional image whether or not you’re looking for a new job. Don’t wait until you’re considering a professional change to think about your public persona and how you’re perceived by others.

When you take time to assess and enhance your professional image, you’ll gain a competitive advantage, whether you aim to seek new clients, business opportunities, speaking engagements, managing accounts or — of course — consider a new job or board role. Executive and board search firms, who proactively seek out talent, may take notice of your current and consistent presentation, too.

When faced with competing priorities in today’s busy world, responding to everyone who reaches out to you is a challenge, but responding noticeably late (or not at all) is detrimental to job and business opportunities. More broadly, a poor response time reflects negatively on you as a professional, and in turn, on your personal brand. By not acknowledging communications, you impress upon senders a lack of respect for them or their business, indicate that you’re not on top of your workload or that you don’t pay attention to detail –- undesirable conclusions all around.

Communicating a consistent, strong personal brand is important — whether you’re looking for a new job, seeking a promotion, cultivating new business or advancing your career.

Your personal brand is a holistic representation of who you are personally and professionally. It is not a single statement or tagline; rather, it encompasses your strengths, expertise, the results and impact you achieve and unique methods you employ to produce quality work. It also includes your character, ethics, principles and behavior.

The end of the year is a popular time to take stock of where you are in your career. If you determine that you are ready to make a professional change and embark on a job search, it’s important to stay in your current position while you look. You are more attractive to potential employers when you are employed than when you are between jobs.

Now that summer is over, it is the perfect time to focus on your personal brand and professional image, starting with your LinkedIn profile. Your profile is often the first impression a potential client, partner or prospective employer will have of you in today’s virtual world. Is your profile a true reflection of who you are? Does it showcase your skills and expertise? Are your key accomplishments and contributions clear? Do you come across as an expert or a leader?