Social media has become a huge part of our everyday lives. While many people are choosing to delete or limit their online footprint, I argue we need to be ahead of it. It is my belief that we are our own PR person until we can afford to hire someone. I facilitated a workshop on this topic for 45 college age students at Columbia University.

1. Personal Branding and
Networking Using Social Media
Presented by:
Cornell F. Woodson

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Why Are We Here?
• Current culture of the workforce is that nothing is personal.
• Companies hire people whose only job is to find you online.
• Deleting your online footprint is impossible and not the answer.
• Until the law catches up with the times, we must manage our own online
footprint.
My philosophy:
We are our own PR person until we can afford to hire one.

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Our Agenda
• Building Your Brand
• Using Your Brand on Social Media
• Networking
• In-person
• Online
• Elevator Pitch

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Branding Yourself
• Doesn't mean to make yourself a logo.
What do you want to be known for?
What services do you offer people?
It's developing a mantra.

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Building Your Brand
Step 1: Reflecting is crucial to building and maintaining a consistent brand.
• Who are you?
• What do you want to be known for?
• What legacy do you hope to leave behind?
Step 2: Determine your emotional appeal.
• How would you describe your personality?
• How do you make people feel?
• How do people benefit by working with you?
• What words would people use to describe you?
• Emotional modifiers - fun or authentic

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Building Your Brand
Step 3: Determine your audience or industry.
• Who is your target audience?
• What is your chosen field?
• Descriptive modifiers - family or students
Step 4: Determine your function.
• What do you do?
• What are your skills?
• What services do you offer people?
• Ex: Entertainment or advisement
Step 5: Put it all together.
• Fun family entertainment
• Authentic student advisement

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Using Your Brand on Social Media
LinkedIn - Use your new mantra in the summary or headline section.
• Helps your profile appear in more searches.

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Using Your Brand on Social Media
Twitter - Use your new mantra in the description section.
• People read those descriptions to determine if they want to follow you.
• Include the link to your LinkedIn profile - gives you more traffic.

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Using Your Brand on Social Media
Facebook - Keep your position and education section updated.

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Using Your Brand on Social Media
Email - Your actual address and signature.
• Email address should be professional - not skaterdude21344566@hotmail.com.
• Use links to your social media sites in your signature.

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Using Your Brand on Social Media
Your new mantra is great, but you have to live it.
• Tweeting
• Updating your status
• Sharing articles
• Commenting on other people's statuses and articles they share
• Inspire conversations with people
Ex: I may update my FB status with an article about advising and a caption that says
something like, "We must be willing to share pieces of ourselves with our students
in order for them to open up to us."
Ultimately, most of the things you post should connect with your image and brand.
Google yourself monthly and set-up Google alerts.

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Networking
Several things to understand:
• Most people don't find jobs by simply applying anymore.
• Hiring managers receive hundreds of resumes for few positions.
• Simply applying online and adding your resume to a pile of hundreds of
others will ensure that you are job searching for a long time.
• Landing a job is part your skills and value added and who you know who
knows whom.
• Networking is NOT just for the extroverts.
Key tips:
• Find a strategy that works for you.
• Get use to talking about yourself and asking great questions.
• Develop an in-person and online networking strategy.

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Networking
Online: Using LinkedIn
• Search for users in the same field as you.
• View their profiles and review their career path.
• Send a connection request - not the stock version!!
• Request an opportunity to chat with them about their career path, why they
chose the field and any advice they may have for you.
• Joining groups, posing questions and commenting on others post is a fast way to
build connections.
In-person:
• Develop an elevator pitch.
• Attend networking events.
• Review guest list beforehand.
• Make a list of people you want to meet.
• Have business cards - even if you are a student.

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Elevator Speech
Common Components
• 30 seconds - that's all you have.
• Who are you?
• What do you do?
• What are you looking for?
"My name is Cornell Woodson and I have a passion for helping college age students
develop into global leaders. My goal is to obtain a position in student affairs where I
can develop leadership programs and advise students. I'd appreciate an opportunity
to learn about any opportunities available within your organization."

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Elevator Speech
Networking Components:
• Who are you?
• What do you currently do?
• What made you approach the person?
"My name is Cornell Woodson and I am currently working on my masters in student
affairs. I see that you work for NYU and that's a school I would like to work for some
day. I'd love to hear about your career path and obtain any advice you may have."

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Challenge
• Write an elevator speech and practice it with friends or a mentor
• Work on your mantra/brand and edit your profiles.
• Make 2 AUTHENTIC connections via LinkedIn each month
• Conduct 1-2 informational interviews every two months
• Google yourself monthly