You think you have everything together for your job search:

More on Personal Branding: Personal Branding Home   What Is Personal Branding? What's So Important About Personal Branding? Branding Is Key to Future Employment Branding Hype and Myth vs. Reality   Building Your Personal     Brand 10-Step Personal Branding Worksheet How to Create Your Personal Brand Personal Branding for New Grads Get Personal with Your Personal Branding Statement Personally Branded Resumes 10 Tips for Stronger Resume Branding Branding with Your Personal Brand Biography Branding with Structured Examples Branding with Your Colors Branding with Your Email Signature   Online Branding Components of a Strong Online Personal Brand Building Your Online Brand and Online Identity Measuring Your Online Brand The 6 Keys to Online Executive Branding 7 Reasons to Be Original   Social Media & Your Brand Branding with Your LinkedIn Profile Branding with LinkedIn Groups Branding with Your Google+ Profile Amplify Your Personal Brand with Twitter Building Your Brand with Guest Blogging Branding with a Photo in Your Online Profiles Power Your Personal Brand with Google Alerts Branding by Making Comments on Blogs   Maintaining Your Brand The 3 C's Test for Your Personal Brand Branding with Thank You Notes   Refreshing/Changing Your     Brand Refreshing Your Personal Brand   Personal Branding Expert Meg Guiseppi, Personal Branding Expert   For More Information: Executive Branding and Your LinkedIn Profile (free ebook) Job-Hunt Help's Personal Branding LinkedIn Group

• You are clear on what kind of job you want and have a target list of 20 or so companies that are a mutual good fit, along with a list of the key decision makers within each company.

• You have researched these companies for market intelligence, due diligence, and job interview preparation. You know what challenges these companies are facing and how you can help them.

• You have defined your brand and value proposition and have communicated them in your paper/digital career marketing documents – resume, biography, etc.

• You are pretty good at networking and know how to work it.

• You are reaching out to executive recruiters within your industry and niche.

But that's not enough.

Do you have a strategic plan in place to build a strong online footprint, so that recruiters and hiring authorities will find you online when they source and assess talent through Google, LinkedIn and other search engines?

Research shows that most of these people decide whether or not to even consider your candidacy based upon the number and quality of search results they find (or don't find) associated with "your name".

What are you doing to ensure you have a far-reaching on-brand, online presence that will attract your target employers?

The 6 P's, created by William Arruda and Kirsten Dixson of Reach Personal Branding, form the framework for a well-rounded online brand communications strategy. I’ve included a few suggestions on leveraging each of them:

1. Publishing

Publish content online providing evidence of your subject matter expertise and thought leadership through:

• Your own blog
• Guest blogging on relevant sites
• Publishing white papers on relevant sites.

2. Posting

Let people know you’re staying current with the works of industry thought leaders and subject matter experts by posting book reviews at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and other online booksellers.

3. Pontificating

Express your opinions on relevant topics and add value through:

• Blog comments on sites your target audience reads
• Twitter, Facebook, and other social networks
• E-lists, online forums, message boards
• Contributing to discussions on LinkedIn Groups and LinkedIn Answers.

4. Publicizing

Send out press releases to print and digital media to tell the world when you’ve accomplished something noteworthy. Very few people take advantage of these (mostly free) services, so those who do, have a competitive advantage. Here are a few ideas for press releases:

• Launching your blog or website
• Receiving an award, honor or recognition
• Earning a credential
• Starting a new business
• Speaking at an event
• Attending an industry event
• Offering a free eBook, newsletter or white paper
• Giving a workshop or seminar
• Providing pro bono work
• Volunteering for a community project

Here are a few sites to post press releases online:

• PR.com
• PR-inside.com
• PRLog.org 
• PRNewswire.com 

5. Partnering

Leverage social media – blogging, LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, Ecademy, etc. – to promote your network so they’ll reciprocate:

• Bring them into your social networks
• Invite them to join your LinkedIn network
• Follow them on Twitter, retweet them, and tweet their blog posts
• Comment and/or guest blog on their blogs
• Mention them in your blog posts
• Influence them to write about you

6. Profiling

Extend your online footprint by creating profiles at sites such as LinkedIn, ZoomInfo, Google Profiles, VisualCV, and relevant professional associations.

Bottom Line:

Draw your target employers to you like a magnet by creating a broad online brand communications plan that clearly and consistently expresses your unique promise of value.

© Copyright Meg Guiseppi, 2010. All rights reserved. Used with permission.

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Meg Guiseppi, Job-Hunt’s Personal Branding Expert and 20-year careers industry veteran, holds 7 certifications, including Reach Certified Personal Branding Strategist, Reach Certified Online Identity Strategist, and Master Resume Writer. Meg is the author of the ebook, "23 Ways You Sabotage Your Executive Job Search and How Your Brand Will Help You Land." Connect with Meg at Executive Career Brand, on LinkedIn (LinkedIn.com/in/megguiseppi), and on Twitter (@megguiseppi).

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