People often search you before they meet you. This is your chance.

It’s true. We live in a digital age.

Quick side note: Hello, if this is the first you’re hearing from me in several days (on the internet, that is), that’s because I’m on PTO this week. From work, that is. Not my weekly newsletter. I wouldn’t leave you hanging like that! Also, happy national caesar salad day and national comic sans day to all who celebrate. (just Google it)

Back to it.

In specific contexts (lets take work, for example) people are Googling you. Think about it: before, during, and after the job interview, your team members when you join a new team or become more visible across the organization, when you’re presenting at a conference, or perhaps they come across some of your social content. People are Googling you for whatever reason. You’re often being evaluated silently. Kinda wild, but hey, it is what it is.

Today, first impressions often happen online.

Within the last several months, I have started to take more seriously my ‘personal brand.’ (why do I cringe when I say that? is it because I am a cheugy millennial?)

Cringe aside, my personal brand is what will help shape what shows up when people Google me. If you haven’t guessed it yet, I’ve decided to frame that brand around career, work, being a millennial, witty and quick (corporate) humor, and if you follow me on Linkedin, perhaps there’s a little Slack mixed in (no shame). Speaking of Slack, I changed my Linkedin header recently, another thing I have no shame about. What do you think?

You might come across my Instagram account too in your internet search, but I have not posted there since, St. Patricks Day weekend 2022, when I took a photo of the Chicago River turning green. Classic. I just don’t find lots of interest or value in Instagram, for now that is. I’m also on BlueSky (deleted my 15+ year run with Twitter, and not mad about it), and then Facebook, forget about it. It’s collecting dust at this point.

My focus today is on Linkedin, here on Beehiiv, and perhaps something else I am experimenting with. Stay tuned.

My goal is to build a brand and reputation around work, (corporate) humor, career, and being a millennial in this world, so that when people think of me, they think of those things.

By building a personal brand, I control the narrative. I am curating my presence online, highlighting my strengths, passions, interests, and values (and perhaps a hot and cold take here and there).

I kinda still have no idea what I’m doing, but hey, I tell myself to just get thoughts on (digital) paper. That counts. Just start. Execute and it will form and shape itself from there.

So that leads me to you: What’s your personal brand?

Let’s say you’ve never shared anything on the internet whatsoever and you were forced to get started right now. What are some themes, adjectives, or topics that describe you? Or that you’d feel comfortable commenting on? Developing content for? Something you’d feel proud of someone seeing when they ran a Google search on you?

What’s the first impression you’re making? 

Thanks for reading and for being here. I don’t take for granted that you care what I have to say. Or even if you don’t care, and you’re still here; thanks for being a fan anyway. ❣️

Let’s connect!