{"id":5180,"date":"2021-05-11T17:14:47","date_gmt":"2021-05-11T17:14:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/jobhunt.fj-dev.com\/branding-while-unemployed\/"},"modified":"2022-01-25T13:38:59","modified_gmt":"2022-01-25T20:38:59","slug":"branding-while-unemployed","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.job-hunt.org\/branding-while-unemployed\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Keep Your Personal Brand Alive When You Are Unemployed"},"content":{"rendered":"

Few of us make it through our entire working lives without some period of unemployment. Consider yourself lucky if it\u2019s never happened to you. But don\u2019t think it never will.<\/p>\n

The best defense against the probable inevitability of unemployment? Assume that it may happen to you, and be prepared. Things can change in an instant.<\/p>\n

“Permanent Jobs” Don’t Exist<\/h2>\n

Wise people understand that we\u2019re all always in perpetual job search, whether or not we\u2019ve been steadily employed throughout our careers.<\/p>\n

They know that they should always keep their networks alive, and be accessible and open to new opportunities.<\/p>\n

This means continuously communicating your personal brand and unique value to the kinds of employers you would want to work for next, mainly through your LinkedIn profile.<\/p>\n

Make sure your LinkedIn profile is complete and contains lots of content saturated with your relevant key words and phrases. This way, your profile will be optimized to help you get found, on an ongoing basis, by recruiters and hiring decision makers at the companies that interest you.<\/p>\n

And stay active with LinkedIn Groups and other networking activities there, and on other social media.<\/p>\n

Also, keep your resume and other personal marketing materials up to date and at the ready.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s all well and good, but most of us don\u2019t do these things. So let\u2019s say you haven\u2019t, and suddenly you\u2019ve been laid off or fired. What can you do to catch up with branding your value to companies you\u2019ll now have to actively pursue?<\/p>\n

4 Ways to Keep Your Personal Brand Alive<\/h2>\n

Here are 4 ways to get back on track:<\/p>\n

1. Work on targeting and your personal brand messaging.<\/h3>\n

Haven\u2019t done anything yet to define your brand and create brand-supporting personal marketing materials (LinkedIn profile, resume, bio, etc.)? It\u2019s time you started at square one with my 10-Step Personal Branding Worksheet<\/a>.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019ve already defined your brand, this is the time to revisit and refresh it, to align your personal marketing materials with the needs of your target employers. [See Taking Inventory & Refreshing Your Personal Brand<\/a>.]<\/p>\n

2. Rebuild and expand your network.<\/h3>\n

Reconnect with everyone you can think of, in any walk of life, and let them know your career goals. Search the LinkedIn company profiles of those you want to target, look for employees you may know, and invite them to connect. Ask everyone you know if they know anyone at your target companies, and ask for an introduction. Also, look for senior level executives at these companies who may be hiring decision makers, and reach out to them.<\/p>\n

3. Find ways to fill potential employment gaps, before they happen.<\/h3>\n

It can take many months to find a new good fit job. You need to do some kind of work \u2013 whether or not you receive compensation \u2013 to avoid major gaps in your LinkedIn profile and resume. Typically, things get sticky with gaps of one year or more. So do what you can to keep that from happening. [See How to Manage Employment Gaps on Your Resume<\/a>.]<\/p>\n

Here are some suggestions. Do your best to find work that is consistent with your personal brand and unique value proposition to your target employers. Then this fill-in work experience will be of greater value to them:<\/p>\n