When getting your foot in the door you want to start with your best foot forward. You only get one chance to make an impression so that means impressing them before they even have a chance to meet you. This is the elevator pitch of who you are. Enter the personal brand.
Personal Brand
Companies want to know what you’re about. If you were a company, what would your name be? Think of Walt Disney or Steve Jobs. When you hear their name what resonates with you? You don’t have to be famous to have a brand. You only need to provide a service. How would you define yourself as a brand? Communicating this quickly, clearly and effectively will help you make an immediate impression on employers.
Trademark
This isn’t a screen name you use for your XBOX Live Account. It should be a name that has purpose and meaning to tie into your personal brand. Now, this can just be your first and last name if the dot com isn’t already taken. For myself, I created ReactionGears. The meaning behind the name is that I write the “gears” (code) that trigger a “reaction”. I was able to secure all social media accounts along with the domain and build a cohesive brand for myself.
Brand Colors and Logo
Feel free to hire a friend if you’re not a logo designer. There are even apps and websites that help you generate a simple logo for free these days. It’s not that critical but just make something that’s pleasing to the eyes. This will later be placed on your cover letter/resume to make it pop. Design in B&W and make sure your logo is readable. It’s ok to have a color version but it must read in B&W. Most employers will be printing out your Resume in B&W and if your logo is pink it’s gonna look like a coffee stain.
Book Recommendation
I’m not a brand expert, which is why I defer to resources when I feel other materials will do a better job. There’s a great simple book you can pick up from Amazon to build your personal brand. It’s a clear an easy read and won’t lead you down a money pit.
Portfolio Design
Your portfolio design should reflect your brand. I strongly suggest looking at sites from Behance for inspiration. These sites are truly works of art. If you’re highly technical your site doesn’t have to have a high-end design. Just look for inspiration on clear and effective information design.
Don’t spend too much time toiling over your portfolio. Give it a month at most. After you’ve assembled the above check out my post on Building your Tech Portfolio demo content.