Contrary to popular belief, you really can get something valuable for nothing.

Many savvy bloggers and other content writers are all about giving away information to market themselves. I agree with them that providing value in this way builds trust and credibility for your brand.

Why not take advantage of their generosity and tap into the treasure trove of free information out there?

Here are a few of my favorite FREE e-books from some of the leading subject matter experts in personal branding and job search, along with a taste of what you’ll find in each:

Green Careers Advice Guide: Practical Advice for Advancing Your Personal Brand in the Green Industry, by Reach Certified Personal Branding Strategists

Articles include:

• Have a Clear Strategy and Go Green with Ease
• Want to Transition to a Green Job? Research and Network Your Way In
• Do You Bleed Green?
• You Don’t Have to Leave to Get a Green Job – Become the Internal Environmental Champion!
• A Green Career Makeover
• Distinguishing Yourself as a Green Leader
• It’s Important to Act Green When You are Green
• How Green is Your Personal Brand?

Using the Social Web to Find Work, by  Chris Brogan, social media guru

Write Your LinkedIn Profile for Your Future

“LinkedIn isn’t a place to dump a snapshot of where you’ve been. It’s an opportunity to stay connected to people, and to demonstrate where you are now, and where you plan to go next.”

Make Your LinkedIn Profile Work for You

“People who use LinkedIn expertly, like Christopher S. Penn, will be the first to say that [LinkedIn] is sorely underrated as a place to develop business, grow your capabilities, and promote your projects and opportunities.”

Social Media for Your Career

“Your blog is a resume. My blog has been responsible for HUNDREDS of inquiries over the years . . . People who might want to know about using video, or blogging, or making podcasts, or tying this all together into a strategy see examples, almost daily, of what I think, what I know, and how I’ve accomplished some of this in my own life and career.”

30 Ideas: The Ideas of Successful Job Search, by Tim Tyrell-Smith of Tim’s Strategy

• Do You Have a Job Search Strategy or Are You Just Spinning?
• Laid Off – Like a Tornado
• 10 Reasons You Should Regularly Read a Job Search Blog
• Landing is For Pilots, Not Job Seekers
• The Worst Days During Job Search
• The Danger of Being an Optimist in Job Search
• Tell Your Job Search Network What You Want
• The #1 Networking Tool During Hard Times
• When Your Elevator Pitch Has a Pitch Problem

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Self promotion is a challenge.  A delicate balance is required between confidence and humility.  One must create a sense of value while also developing relationships and selling the most important product, which is yourself.  That’s all why we’re here isn’t it?  Otherwise personal branding sites like this one (Brand-Yourself) would be called Brand Everyone Else or maybe Brand My Boss.  And yes, both these domains are available for purchase.

Self promotion is more than just a snazzy business card or a great elevator pitch, it’s a well-thought out marketing and business plan that requires research and an understanding of how your unique qualities are unique and set you apart from the rest.  As part of my business strategy I have chosen to set myself apart from the rest by writing a book, Tweet This!  Twitter for Business. Now that I am a published author, I have found myself conflicted.  I’m not the self-promotion type of gal.  Most of my business comes from referrals who are professionals or past clients, but my book is different.  My business strategy aims to develop an audience or relationship with those outside of my regular network outside of conference attendees who hear me speak, my social media network, and internet surfers who happen upon my book on Amazon.

Sometimes to make a splash or impact in your market or to take your business to the next level you have to take on an aggressive strategy and self-promotion is part of that.  Because if you don’t promote yourself and your unique qualities, no one else will!

Two weeks into my book being released, the response from friends and professional contacts new and old has been extremely positive.  Tweet This! aims to provide small to medium sized businesses, consultants, and entrepreneurs an easy to read, easy to use guide on how to grow and manage your Twitter presence realistically and in under 30 minutes a day.  My book’s official website is Tweetingmybusiness.com and I would love for you to take a visit.  Not only can you purchase the book at the site but you can take a look at some of my upcoming events as part of my book tour, as well as stay up to date on the latest news and information about social media.

As part of a special promotion, I will be giving away a copy of my book to one lucky reader from Brand-Yourself.com.  Leave a comment on this post and tell me how you promote yourself.   I will be randomly selecting a winner one week from today (on February 10, 2010).

Jessica Miller-Merrell, SPHR is an author, new mother, and human resources professional with a passion for recruiting and all things social media.  She has over 10 years of experience in human resources & recruiting.

Her company, Xceptional HR provides businesses with social media, recruitment, and human resources strategy and consulting.   Jessica’s book, Tweet This! Twitter for Business was released January 2010.  Follow Jessica on Twitter, LinkedIn, & FaceBook.

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There are countless books available on a number of social networking or personal branding topics, with more and more hitting the shelves every week.  When I am looking for my next book, I look to my network for recommendations.  Sometimes I just take a risk and make a purchase based upon either the author or the material covered.

Over the past 6 months, I found myself reading more than I ever have before, trying to keep updated on the latest trends, technologies, and their practical applications.  The energy of the authors and topics discussed certainly keeps me interested.

I wanted to share with you a few books that are strong in both the personal branding and social networking spaces.  I am not ranking the books, just sharing five that I believe are very much worth reading.

Crush It (Gary Vaynerchuk) – It is all about following your passion and Gary is an absolute leader in following your passion.  Be passionate about you and what you choose to do with your life.  If you follow your passion and put everything you have into whatever that may be, success will come.  Translate this into your personal brand and become even more passionate about you.  Gary also provides great suggestions on ulterior sites to consider which may help you expand your presence into niche or emerging networks.

Me 2.0: Build a Powerful Brand to Achieve Career Success (Dan Schawbel) – I am not a Millenial or Gen Y but I was able to learn quite a bit from this book.  Dan provides great insight into the “whys” of personal branding and, as you would expect, a “how-to” plan.  This is an excellent resource for anyone who would like to gain a better understanding as to where to begin or to further enhance your personal brand.

Trust Agents (Chris Brogan & Julian Smith) – Chris and Julian get straight to the point of social networking: build trust.  Everything you do online starts with building trust and engagement.  Before anyone will respond to you, you need to add value to your network before you ask for anything in return.  Same with your personal brand, establish your authenticity online (do not pretend to be someone you are not) and develop your brand into something that others will trust.

Socialnomics (Erik Qualman) – Erik provides interesting case studies into people and companies and how they leveraged social networking.  There is a heavy dose of Barack Obama and his use of social networking during his campaign, which is fine (though just a little redundant), but he includes other case studies as well.  Erik’s insight into using social networking for business, or elections, is highly useful and you are able to pick up techniques to use in your own branding strategy.

The interesting fact is that all of these books are not specific around personal branding but absolutely incorporate similar concepts in business as in your personal brand.  When you read a social networking or marketing book, always think of how you may incorporate it into your strategy – either for business or for your personal brand.

There are exciting things happening every day, take an active approach and try new techniques.  Absolutely nothing to fear while exploring new opportunities and creating a niche while you continue to brand yourself.

—

Keith McIlvaine is a Social Media Strategist within HR and Recruiting for a Fortune 500 company.  When he is not focused on leveraging social media and networking, Keith is also a personal branding coach and social media mentor.  He is passionate about his family and is a major soccer fanatic.  Follow Keith on Twitter or connect on LinkedIn.  The statements I have posted on this site are mine alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of my employer.

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As job seekers begin their quests for employment, research and preparation are the two most important, yet also the most overlooked, parts of the job search.  Eager candidates often dive into the super-competitive world of resumes and personal branding without developing a proper self-marketing strategy.

Just like any project, it’s important to understand the  features and benefits of your product (yourself!), your target market, as well as your current competition, while having a clear plan and strategy to ensure success.  Whether you are currently waist deep in the job search or just preparing to begin the process, here are some books to consider when developing your personal marketing and job search strategy.

• Internet Your Way to a New Job:  How to Really Find a Job Online , by Alison Doyle.  Alison is one of the leading job search experts on the internet and is a featured contributor on About.com.  Her book, now in its second edition, includes expert advice and opinions from recruiters and career coaches to help you navigate the world wide web as a job seeker.  She discusses the importance of social media strategies, personal branding, and  how to use technology effectively in the job search.  Her book is a must read for the serious job seeker.
• Crucial Conversations:  Tools for talking when stakes are high , by Kerry Patterson, Joseph Grenny, Ron McMillan, & Al Switzler. I am currently half way through this book but am loving every minute of it.  I have already begun using its wisdom to have those difficult yet crucial conversations.  What I really like about this book is its applicability to both my professional and personal life.  I particularly recommend this book to those who are currently employed but who are considering taking the plunge into the job search. This book can help you work out issues with difficult bosses and destructive co-workers.  Vital Smarts, the company behind Crucial Conversations, offers real world case studies, webinars, and other resources.
• Jeffrey Gitomer’s Little Red Book of Selling , by Jeffrey Gitomer.  I had the pleasure of listening to Jeffrey speak several years ago.  He speaks and writes with a no-nonsense, engaging, and motivating style.  I left his seminar pumped up and ready to take the tips and tools he provided me out into the real world.  Sales is very much a part of the job search.  Just as a car salesman must know how to sell cars, a job seeker must know how to sell themselves, and this book will teach you to do that.  Gitomer writes that “In sales, it’s not who you know.  In sales, it’s who knows you.”  You know where you want to work, but do they even know who you are?  Follow Jeffrey’s tips, and get your face on their radar.
• Hire With Your Head , by Lou Adler.  Lou’s company, The Adler Group, along with his book, is focused on the concept of Performance Based Hiring.  The book discusses how companies should use a combination of techniques to ensure that they are hiring quality candidates who will meet and exceed performance expectations.  One bad placement or hiring decision can cost a company thousands and thousands of dollars.  This book discusses techniques for businesses to get beyond just a gut feeling when making a job offer.  As a candidate it is important for you to understand the methods, strategies, and decision models that businesses use when making a job offer so that you can prepare yourself accordingly.
• Me 2.0 , by Dan Schawbel. Dan is a widely recognized leader in personal branding.  At age 24, he wrote, Me 2.0. Although his book is geared towards young professionals, it provides insight to career-minded people of all ages. Whether you are currently in the job market, or just have an interest in personal marketing and development, Me 2.0 has something for you.   Dan’s book is easy to read and offers a real-world Four Step strategy for discovering, creating, communicating, and maintaining your personal brand.  Additionally, Dan offers insight into how businesses can grow and develop their own personal brand to promote their products, services, or recruiting efforts.  For more information regarding personal branding, visit his Personal Branding Blog.

Photo Credit The Independent

Jessica Miller-Merrell, SPHR is an author, new mother, and human resources professional with a passion for recruiting and all things social media.  She has over 10 years of experience in human resources & recruiting.

Her company, Xceptional HR provides businesses with social media, recruitment, and human resources strategy and consulting.   Jessica’s book, Tweet This! Twitter for Business will be released in February 2010.  Follow Jessica on Twitter, LinkedIn, & FaceBook.

Create a Remarkable Web Presence at Brand-Yourself.com

Once you’ve prepared for your job search, it’s time to create a visible web presence as a platform to drive your job search and to develop and monitor your personal brand. Did you know that more than half of employers are more likely to hire you if you’ve spent time developing your personal brand across social networks? To help you do this, we built a platform to manage your online reputation froCm one central hub. Create your Brand-Yourself account today and see how our tools can help you build, optimize and promote a remarkable web presence that gets you hired.

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