Ciara Corcoran ‘17
When most people think of Pinterest, they think of hair tutorials, seasonal recipes, or DIY crafts. While Pinterest does have plenty of resources for each of these things, Pinterest also has resources for creating a personal brand. Additionally, Pinterest provides a platform for promoting that brand. Pinterest is just one social media outlet to promote your work, your goals, and ultimately yourself.
Let’s start with resources. Doing a quick search for personal branding in the Pinterest search bar gives you pages of infographics on resumes, cover letters, and even tips on what to wear to a job interview. How do you create a personal brand? There is an infographic for that.
http://jorgensundberg.net/way-personal-branding-infographic/
More specific searches can lead you to information on personal logos, resume templates, and hundreds of examples of business cards to inspire your own designs. Of course, you can also Google any of these categories, but Pinterest provides both textual and visual aspects to create a personal brand that you can’t get by clicking through link after link on Google.
How can you use Pinterest to promote the brand you’ve already created or are in the process of creating? Your Pinterest profile allows you to link your other social networks including Facebook, Twitter, and Google+. Additionally, you can include your website and location, making yourself more available to potential employers or clients.
The website itself allows you to create boards that are collections of similarly themed items. For example, you could create a board of graphic design products by pinning your work onto the board. Your boards can also highlight your interests by showcasing travel photos, writing resources, or projects you hope to accomplish. Pinterest is a more creative social network than Facebook or Twitter, so use this platform to highlight your creative side if it’s appropriate for your job industry. Pinterest coins itself as a “visual bookmarking tool,” so keep in mind that the nature of your pins should be primarily images in the form of artwork, pictures, infographics, or other visually engaging media.
Pinterest Pointers
- Be consistent! Personal branding is most effective when employers can recognize you across different networks. Your Pinterest profile picture should be the same as your Twitter icon which should be the same as your Facebook profile picture.
- Be professional! Yes, Pinterest does have many great hair tutorials, but save those for your personal account (Unless, of course, you are a hair stylist in which case, pin away)
- Be engaging! Your profile can be made public so employers can find you, but jump-start the search by following companies who may hire you. Not sure if a company is on Pinterest? Here is a list to see for yourself.
Pinterest is a social media platform that can be used to your advantage. Illustrate what kind of person you are through your brand. Pinterest gives you the opportunity to show your creative side by creating categories of visuals. Paint a picture of yourself to your potential employers. Just make sure your Dream Wedding Board and your Mixed Drinks Board are on private.
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