“Me 2.0 – Build a Powerful Brand to Achieve Career Success” by Dan Schawbel

 This all-inclusive personal branding guide incorporates everything you need to know to “Brand Yourself for Success” for your career and beyond in a constantly evolving Web 2.0 world. 

The rise of technology and the internet has changed the way we work, how employers seek out talent and how professionals find jobs.  As a result, a new kind of career professional has emerged.  Career oriented professionals can no longer count on traditional methods of communication for managing their career and job search.

Dan addresses the reasons why personal branding is so important in today’s volatile environment, and he walks you through a step-by-step process of practical tips answering your “why” and “how to” questions.

Although targeted toward the Millennium generation, I recommend that anyone interested in progressing in their career, whether an entrepreneur, a full-time employee, experienced professional or student, study this book and implement the easy-to-follow strategies.

The book follows a logical progression, and is divided into three sections: 

• The Rise of Personal Branding – This section provides the audience with the history and definition of personal branding, and the importance of taking control of building your brand today for your success tomorrow.  The importance of networking and relationship building, both on and offline, is emphasized here as an essential piece in building and growing your brand.
• How to Command Your Career in Four Steps – In this section, you will learn Dan’s proven 4-step process of discovering, creating, communicating and maintaining your personal brand.   He includes the essential ingredients of your personal branding toolkit, and outlines how to use Web 2.0, such as social networking sites, wikis and blogs to create a digital presence for your brand.
• Using Your Command to Achieve Success– Here, the author presents the considerations and implications of becoming an entrepreneur, and how to use your unique brand identity and Web 2.0 tools to become a successful business owner.

Additionally, two sections in Chapter 4 are devoted to how personal branding in an increasingly competitive and digital world is changing the way recruiters seek out talent, employers brand themselves, job seekers look for work, and career development professionals advise their clients.  The rise and evolution of the internet has changed the way we search for jobs and develop our careers.  Our new career search and development “toolkit,” including LinkedIn, Facebook, blogs, video resumes, and even virtual worlds, allows us to capitalize on our own networks.  Therefore, Me 2.0 should be required reading for anyone seeking career advancement.   

Written by Career Services Advisor Nicolle Skalski