Back in the day when you were interviewing for jobs, your personal brand was determined by your reputation, your résumé, and how you physically presented yourself.
Today, that’s no longer true.
When social media was first gaining steam, there was buzz around keeping your accounts as private and isolated as possible. You didn’t want your future employers to see the real you and the “bad things” you were up to in college.
Society created a mold of what professionalism was and you were either in or out. You didn’t want anything to exist online that showed you might not fit that perfect mold.
Today, that couldn’t be further from the truth. Society is increasingly open-minded and there’s no need to hide who you are. You’d be prohibiting yourself from being discovered. The modern day résumé is your online presence. Your employers and investors are going to research you to see if your digital reputation is aligned with who you say you really are.
The people who are excelling and building their personal brands in this industry are sharing their passions and telling their story using social media, professional networking platforms, and their personal websites.
Don’t overthink it. Your personal brand is simply you—your beliefs, interests, values, and ideas. We’re moving into a world where transparency is a must.
The trick is to become someone who is genuinely awesome and interesting. Then, let the world see who you are and what you’re passionate about.
Use these social platforms and networking sites to redirect people back to your own website. Yes, you might have noticed it earlier, and I just said it again, you need your own website.
Don’t believe me? Research the chefs who are crushing it right now. They all have their own websites where they’re selling their story and brand to the public, future partners, and investors.
It has never been easier to have your own website. Start with a blog. Right now, Google search “how to start a blog,” and you’ll see just how easy it is. Think of your blog as a public journal. Write about what you’re up to, what you’re learning, what interests you, and how you want to make your impact on the world.
Having a blog will force you to stay interesting, which will force you to learn and grow personally and professionally.
Everything you do online should reflect who you really are. You can choose to be reserved or secretive, you can embrace this new world we live in and use it to your advantage.
The key is to just start. At first it’s going to be just you and the crickets, but over time your momentum and presence will grow, and you’ll have a leg up on other hospitality professionals jockeying for the same attention.
The best time to get on a social networking platform is when a platform is new, because that’s when there’s the least amount of noise. It is much easier to stand out and develop deeper, more impactful relationships when there are fewer people jockeying to be discovered.
I’m going to close with one of my favorite Chinese proverbs:
“When is the best time to plant a tree? Twenty years ago. When’s the next best time? Right now.”