December 6, 2007 3:43 PM

Create your own personal brand - online
Posted by Douglas Eisenhartat 3:43 PM

These days, if you're not online you're not anywhere, right? I'm talking about you, your name, your persona, your virtual presence. Think MySpace, Facebook, LinkedIn.

Ever Google yourself to see what comes up? Come on, admit it (and yes, Google is now a commonly accepted verb). If by some chance you haven't, maybe you better - your potential employers will.

So why not take an even more proactive step toward managing your online brand and create your own website, blog, or podcast? As newly emerging personal branding guru Dan Schawbel tells us, the tools to do so have become much more user-friendly and accessible by the non-technically inclined among us:

Years ago, hiring technical programmers to develop websites was required. Businesses were forced to outsource to graphic designers, website consultants and few saw the power in personal branding. People that couldn’t afford these services lost the opportunity to showcase their personal brand online or even a new e-commerce website. The words “JavaScript”, “HTML”, “Pearl”, “C++” and Personal Branding Tools “Visual Basic” confused the majority and came naturally to the minority.

Today, thanks to technological advancements in web software, platforms and overall development, not only can everyone have their own website in seconds, but they can have a voice. Podcasting has emerged as a great way to demonstrate your talents or create buzz. For all of you that don’t have a website, a podcast or a clue on how to step into this new world of freedom, expression and opportunity, here is the equipment you’ll need:

Check out the full blog post and Schawbel's Personal Branding Blog, an exemplar of his own approach (ie, he practices what he preaches).