Career Development and Personal Branding During COVID-19
Our day-to-day lives and routines have been shaken up as people practice social distancing and as we brace for the total sustained impact from COVID-19. As we all adjust to our new reality, it is more important than ever for us to stay connected and visible as we work on our professional development remotely.
In a few weeks, Mark Raffan and I will be sharing the stage at FORGE, a virtual procurement conference taking place on April 28, 2020. This will likely be the first of many online conferences that begin to pop up around procurement in the face of bans on large gatherings. We are talking about a topic that is even more relevant now, given our current situation — personal branding.
Why is it important now?
Personal branding certainly isn’t a new topic, but now it is becoming a business (and personal) imperative. A lot of professionals are working virtually and will be for the foreseeable future. Improving, promoting, and adding credibility to your online persona will be more important than ever for both brands and individuals as even more interactions shift from in-person to online.
Join us during our session as we dig into topics such as:
What personal branding means in modern terms and the five keys to ensure it’s success
Why it is so important for professionals at all level of seniority to enhance their personal brand, and how to get started
How you can further your career, and improve you ability to recruit top talent, by building a personal brand
Who should tune in?
Personal branding is not just important for people who are looking for jobs; it is for everyone. This includes job seekers, career-minded procurement professionals, and hiring managers looking for talent. This may come as a surprise to hiring managers. Sure, attracting high-caliber candidates has a lot to do with the reputation of the brand you work for. However, as people shift to interacting with recruiters and hiring managers online, candidates will be taking more time to look at what you represent as an individual. People go to work for (and leave) bosses, not companies.
We won’t be stuck in this situation forever, but the reality is that this virus has tested companies and the people who work for them. It has challenged companies that have not embraced offering the flexibility of working from home. It has changed the way people see which jobs are truly essential to keeping our communities afloat and our people healthy. It has challenged so many of us to continue to work towards our professional goals as we wait for change to come with each passing day. Enhancing your personal brand will be a slow burn — it takes time, patience, intensity, authenticity, and consistency — but if you start now, you will be in a better position months from now to continue achieving your goals.