Personal Branding | Jennifer McClure`

Optimize Your LinkedIn Profile to Build Your Personal Brand and Grow Your Career

How valuable is your LinkedIn profile? Hint: The answer is very!

If you don’t believe me, grab your phone, Google your name in quotes (“Jennifer McClure” for example), and hit enter.

Unless you’ve got an extremely common name, you’ll likely notice that the first page of search results for your name returns a number of social media profiles – which may include yours, as well as others that share your same name. And included in those top 10 results is likely a link to your public LinkedIn profile, or at least one created by one of your namesakes.

Whether you’re searching for your next job, open to career growth opportunities, or looking to grow your personal brand, or your business, your best opportunity to get noticed online is to have a robust, fully complete, and active LinkedIn profile.

While LinkedIn is straightforward – create a profile, connect with people, post and share your content, etc. – you may not be getting the most out of it as you would if you were to create an intentional strategy for using LinkedIn.

There are multiple ways that you can optimize your LinkedIn profile to build your personal brand and grow your career. By doing so, you can use LinkedIn to build your credibility as a thought leader and your reputation as a business leader that others want to work with or do business with.

You can also readily access a vast network of people and resources that you can utilize (for free) for your personal and professional development.

In this episode, I’m going to share some of my favorite tips and strategies for creating a LinkedIn profile that stands out, works for you, and increases your opportunities!

Topics Discussed In This Episode:

Why a LinkedIn profile is valuable
What makes a great LinkedIn profile?
8 profile photo best practices
How to maximize your background photo
Tips for an effective LinkedIn profile headline
Tips in writing your About section
10 profile summary tips

IMPACT MAKERS PODCAST – EPISODE 76

Key Quotes From This Episode:

“People ARE searching for you online – or they should be – and you have a simple and free way available to you to deliver exactly the credibility, image, and authority that you prefer, by being intentional about how you use LinkedIn.” ~ @Jennifer McClure

Connect with Jennifer:

Send her a message [https://jennifermcclure.net/contact/]

On LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifermcclure

On Twitter: https://twitter.com/JenniferMcClure

On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jennifer_mcclure/

On Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/JenniferMcClureSpeaker

Written by Jennifer McClure

Is It Still Possible to Build Your Personal Brand Using Social Media in 2023?

We’re off and running in 2023, and I hope that you’re finding your footing after digging out of your email inbox, and resuming the regular rhythms of meetings and deadlines.

If you’re like me, you’re likely back to being busy – maybe even overwhelmed once again, so I thought I’d share some thoughts with you this week about one of the prime culprits of overwhelm for many of us – which is of course, is social media.

What used to be a great platform for connection, building personal relationships, and building your brand has now sucked a chunk of time out of us. And it has led us down this path where communication is made less civil, and sometimes, even hurtful.

Do I still think that leaders who want to stay current with business trends, and what’s happening in the future of work should be active on social media?

Yes, I do, because there are still ways you can use social media to grow your career or your business.

Today, let’s walk down the social media memory lane to see how these platforms have evolved over the years.

As you seek to continue to build your brand or grow your career this year, I’m diving into what’s working and what’s not working with these different social media and online platforms, in the next few episodes.

Next week, I’ll start with the most impactful of all – LinkedIn.

Make sure that you’re subscribed or following the Impact Makers podcast in your favorite listening platform, so you don’t miss an episode.

And, if you’d like to make an impact on someone in your network today, please share this episode with them, so they can embrace the future of work, and develop and grow the leadership skills necessary to make a positive impact at work and in life, right along with you!

Topics Discussed In This Episode:

The evolution of LinkedIn and how it’s helping business people until now
Twitter then and now
How Facebook has become a ghost town now
The popularity of Instagram today
Should leaders be active on social media?
Using social media to build meaningful relationships

IMPACT MAKERS PODCAST – EPISODE 75

Key Quotes From This Episode:

“We have to be intentional and strategic about how we spend our time [on social media] consuming content, and how we create and share content to attract and engage the right people who want to hear from us and want to hear what we have to say.” ~ @Jennifer McClure

“I also still believe it is possible to build meaningful relationships with thought leaders, peers, and professionals in your industry and career field. But it takes time and more than a daily picture of your favorite cup of coffee to make those things happen.” ~ @Jennifer McClure

Connect with Jennifer:

Send her a message [https://jennifermcclure.net/contact/]

On LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifermcclure

On Twitter: https://twitter.com/JenniferMcClure

On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jennifer_mcclure/

On Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/JenniferMcClureSpeaker

Written by Jennifer McClure

My Best Career Advice to Position Yourself for the Job You Want

How do you position yourself for the job that you want?

A career change is not easy, whether you feel stuck in you current job or just want to do something different that you enjoy.

As an employee, you’ve got to figure out how to get noticed to move your career ahead.

However, leaders also need to figure out how to provide a safe space and environment for their people to connect, even remotely.

I recently connected with Chris Villanueva, CEO & Co-Founder of Let’s Eat, Grandma, an online resume service that helps professionals rebrand themselves to land interviews for their dream jobs.

He invited me to be a guest on the Career Warrior Podcast, which he hosts, and we had a great chat about networking, relationship building, and how the changing world of work impacts both job seekers, and people leaders.

Chris and his team have graciously allowed me to share it so, sit back, and get ready for the best advice I’ve got for you to position yourself for the job you want – at least in 2022!

Topics Discussed In This Episode:

My thoughts on the future of work, and what both job seekers and HR leaders should be paying attention to.
The skills that will be most in-demand in the workplace of the future.
How to properly build relationships and network when many people are working remotely and networking less.
How to position yourself for new opportunities when you’re interested in making a career change.
The worst things job seekers do with their resumes that annoy HR and hiring managers.

IMPACT MAKERS PODCAST – EPISODE 66

Key Quotes From This Episode:

“It’s really hard to establish connections when we are online behind a screen and connecting with people.” ~ @Chris Villanueva

“Just because it isn’t paid experience doesn’t mean it’s not valid experience that can end up pushing you to get more interviews.” ~ @Chris Villanueva

“You can always do something different.” ~ @Jennifer McClure

People & Resources Mentioned In This Episode:

Meta from Workplace

Let’s Eat Grandma Career Warrior Podcast

Career Warrior Podcast #274 – The Future of Work for Job Seekers with Jennifer McClure

Let’s Eat Grandma | Best Resume Writing Service

Chris Villanueva LinkedIn

The 4-Hour Workweek: Escape 9-5, Live Anywhere, and Join the New Rich by Tim Ferriss

Jab, Jab, Jab, Right Hook: How to Tell Your Story in a Noisy Social World by Gary Vaynerchuk

Julie Turney / HR@Heart Consulting Inc.

Personal Brand Workbook

Steve Browne

Show Sponsor:

This episode of the Impact Makers Podcast is sponsored by Workplace from Meta.

Everybody’s talking about the metaverse these days, but Workplace from Meta is different – I mean, the clue’s in the name, right?

Workplace is a business communication tool that uses features like instant messaging and video calls to help people share information. Think Facebook, but for your company.

It’s part of Meta’s vision for the future of work – a future in which your job isn’t just something you do, but something you EXPERIENCE. A future in which we’ll all feel more present, connected, and productive.

Start your journey into the future of work at workplace.com/future.

Connect with Jennifer:

Send her a message [https://jennifermcclure.net/contact/]

On LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifermcclure

On Twitter: https://twitter.com/JenniferMcClure

On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jennifer_mcclure/

On Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/JenniferMcClureSpeaker

Written by Jennifer McClure

Balancing a Strong Personal Brand With a High Profile Corporate Career With Amber Naslund

If you’re a regular listener of the podcast, you’ve heard me talk with several previous guests that I first connected with back in the somewhat golden days of blogging, and the beginnings of social networks like LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook.

Although I’m not sure how I originally came across my guest on this episode, I know that I was a regular reader of her very popular blog called Brass Tack Thinking during that time frame.

Through great writing and a relatable voice, she shared experiences, practical advice, and marketing expertise, that was extremely helpful to me, and thousands of others, in building a personal brand, and in building a business that connected with those that I wanted to serve.

Then, one day in January 2010, she wrote a blog post that was titled – “The Equestrian’s Guide to Reaching Your Goals” – and as a fellow adult amateur equestrian, I loved how she linked lessons she had learned from horseback riding to setting foundational goals for the next year.

That was it. We were destined to be the best of friends. Or, at least virtual horse buddies. 🙂

To this day, we love sharing, commenting and liking pictures of our horsey adventures online, and I hope we’ll actually get to meet at a horse show or an industry conference or event sometime in the future.

But, since that doesn’t look like it will be able to happen any time soon, I thought that asking her to join me on the podcast would be fun, but also really valuable for both me and you. She’s still doing great work, and continues to share her thoughts and ideas freely in order to help others.

Amber Naslund is a 20-year veteran marketer, and in that time she’s worked with some of the biggest companies, the freshest startups, and everything in between.

In her current role as a senior consultant at LinkedIn, she advises top global clients on their digital content marketing strategies, and their overall approach to using LinkedIn, while on a mission to prove that companies can build compelling, authoritative B2B brands without being dull.

Amber is also the co-author of the best-selling social media handbook The Now Revolution, and when she’s not working on her next book, article, or industry talk, she’s restoring her brain cells on horseback, or spending time with her kid (who’s also an accomplished equestrian already), and her rescue dogs.

In this episode, Amber and I chat about what it was like for her to go from industry darling, to best selling author, to failed entrepreneur, and what she discovered about herself in that journey that helped her to rebuild her confidence, and fuel her success today.

We also talk about what it takes to build a strong and authentic personal brand and platform in today’s noisy world, as well as what to consider when balancing a strong personal brand with a high profile corporate career.

Topics Discussed In This Episode:

What an entrepreneurial failure taught Amber about herself, and how it set her up for future success.
What it’s like being a woman out front in the tech industry sharing your ideas.
Advice for someone who asks how they can build a loyal following online.
Amber’s thoughts on whether it’s necessary to be on all of the online platforms if you’re trying to build your personal brand.
The difference between being authentic and being genuine, and why it’s important for personal brands.
Why Amber is comfortable talking online about sensitive topics like mental health, imposter syndrome, and failures in business.
Amber’s journey toward understanding imposter syndrome, and how she’s come to view it as a normal, and real, part of the process.
How sharing your own vulnerabilities can be helpful with addressing imposter syndrome, and foster trust with your community.
3 tips for those who are interesting becoming thought leaders.

IMPACT MAKERS PODCAST – EPISODE 50

(Email subscribers – click HERE to listen to the podcast.)

Key Quotes From This Episode:

“Being a thought leader isn’t the goal, it’s the result. So, every “thought leader” started as a nobody that no one had ever heard of, that didn’t have an audience. That stuff comes with your willingness to show up first, and put more into the community than you’re asking to take out. So make all of the deposits up front, share the knowledge, be generous, be effusive with how much you’re willing to put in, and the results come. But it has to go in that order.” ~ Amber Naslund

“When we feel seen, and we feel that sense of belonging to something that is bigger than us, but still imperfect, it’s okay for us to be imperfect. That’s an incredibly relieving, reenforcing and validating feeling as humans, and we could all use a little bit more of that right now.” ~ Amber Naslund

“The world doesn’t have your point of view, so there’s really no harm in seeing what you can add that’s unique, even if the conversation itself is not.” ~ Amber Naslund

People & Resources Mentioned In This episode:

Amber Naslund

Amber Naslund LinkedIn

Amber Naslund Twitter

The NOW Revolution: 7 Shifts to Make Your Business Faster, Smarter and More Social by Jay Baer and Amber Naslund

Impact Makers Podcast Episode 049 – Discovering the Hidden Forces That Drive You to Do Your Best Work With Todd Henry

Connect with Jennifer:

Send her a message [https://jennifermcclure.net/contact/]

On LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifermcclure

On Twitter: https://twitter.com/JenniferMcClure

On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jennifer_mcclure/

On Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/JenniferMcClureSpeaker

Written by Jennifer McClure

Developing a Strong Personal Brand That Enables You to Lead From Where You Are

Sometimes, I have the honor of being a guest on other podcasts or webinars, where I’m typically asked to share about one or more of the topics that I’m passionate about, including leadership, speaking, and personal branding, and I wanted to share one of those recent conversations with you.

Shortly after the world changed for us all as a result of a global pandemic, my friend, Erich Kurschat – who is the owner of Harmony Insights LLC, as well as the founder of an inclusive mastermind community called HRHotSeat – started scheduling half hour conversations over the lunch hour with people in his network to be intentional about connecting, and also to stay inspired in order to do his best work.

Back in June of 2020, I joined Erich for one of these lunch date conversations, where we chatted about the importance of personal branding for leaders at all levels, why introverts do not get a pass when it comes to personal branding, and how you can grow and develop your personal brand without having to be a speaker, a blogger, or an online Influencer.

I asked Erich if I could share the conversation with you, and he graciously agreed. So I hope that you enjoy it, and get a few takeaways from it that you can apply to your career.

Topics Discussed In This Episode:

The importance of having a personal brand and being known for something / your expertise / doing great work.
The need to embrace your position as a leader – regardless of your position in an organization.
Why introverts do not get a pass when it comes to networking and Personal Branding.
Why you shouldn’t get hung up on the term “Personal branding”. Yes, it’s marketing, but truly it’s about becoming known, so you can be discovered for opportunities.
Growth and impact comes from challenging yourself and doing hard things
Does personal branding extend outside of your professional life?
Ways to develop and build a strong Personal Brand beyond becoming a speaker or having your own blog.
How my journey to become a professional speaker began with teaching what I knew – even if it wasn’t something that I was passionate about.

IMPACT MAKERS PODCAST – EPISODE 42

(Email subscribers – click HERE to listen to the podcast.)

Key Quotes From This Episode:

“You’re in a leadership role in your organization, whether you have a leadership title or not. By being in the people profession, people are looking to you for leadership. So you have stepped into the light. There will be heat.” ~ Jennifer McClure

“An HR leader’s Personal Brand is so synonymous with the company that they work for – in both the quality of the people that work there, as well as the culture – that HR leaders who are still taking a back seat, and not taking active steps to develop their Personal Brand are not only hurting their careers, they’re also hurting their companies.” ~ Jennifer McClure