New Year, new career. That’s what many people are thinking as 2020 begins.

It’s not just about dusting off your CV and sending it out, though.

If you want to stand out from other candidates, one of your top priorities is to have a think about your personal branding – the key messages that sum up your individual strengths − and how to use them effectively.

This is important whether you’re looking for your first job or your next job, considering how to make an impression in a new job or seeking promotion in the company you work for at the moment. So, it’s true for people at all levels of their career, from students thinking about what to do when they graduate, through to senior executives looking to move up a level – perhaps onto a board. It’s also important if you’re looking to make the move to a new line of work, or even to become self- employed.

The first step is to create a strategic communications plan, to bring your unique capabilities to the attention of people who can help you. And that’s potentially a wide range of people, including recruitment companies; prospective employers and colleagues; board members; networking connections and current colleagues.

PR for people

To sum it up, this is PR for people – and it’s very similar to PR for businesses.  In other words, it’s about keeping your profile high and presenting your strengths and abilities in the most positive and effective way.  It means being visible to your target audience, repeatedly and regularly, so that people think of you first when a position arises, or there’s a possibility of promotion. Staying below the radar is not an option.

Career communications is not career counselling; there are lots of great advisers and coaches who can help you with that. This is about using the power of written communications, to raise your profile and make your personal brand shine.  It’s also about how you combine this with networking −using both together effectively can move you faster towards your goals.

For instance, you might already be on LinkedIn, but are you using it to its full potential? You may also be attending networking events, but are you maximising opportunities to achieve your career goals?  What’s the best way to raise your profile within your current organisation and ensure you’re noticed by all the right people?

If these are questions on your mind and you’re thinking about how to change your working life for the better in 2020, Continuous Communications offers a free, initial consultation. And there’s a discount for anyone signing up for our career communications in January and February.  If you’d like some further information, why not take a look here? Or why not just drop a line to fiona@continuouscommunications.com, to start the conversation?  It would be great to hear from you.

Fiona Nicolson, Director