“The Old World Is Dead!”
On Saturday October 24th, Professional Development hosted their Pass the Mic session entitled “Carving Your Digital Footprint – The Key to Personal Branding”. Though current conditions did not permit an in-person session, the zoom session kept attendees engaged from the 11:00 a.m. start time up until 1:00 p.m.
Kicking the session off was Julie Turney, Founder and CEO of HRatHeart Consulting Inc. As a HR Professional and experienced recruiter, Julie dropped gems from her wealth of knowledge from LinkedIn “Do’s and Don’ts”, to understanding the algorithm to get the most out of job hunting. In what felt like not enough time, Julie ran through what makes a candidate stand out through the eyes of a recruiter and how to make connections to truly make a difference in one’s professional life.
Next up was Corey McClean, Brand Architect, Owner of The Brand Lab and to most UWI Graduates; “The man that owned SIPS Smoothie Bar”. Specializing in personal branding, he opened his session with his favorite quote and personal mantra; “Your brand is what other people say about you when you’re not in the room” – Jeff Bezos.
Corey divulged that the secret to a successful personal brand truly lies in the smallest of details- from the tone of your voice to the color of shirt you choose to address your audience. Staying authentically true to your brand means presenting it through every little detail, so it’s all other people say about you when you’re not in the room.
Crystal Mars-Noel, Social Media Manager, Digital Marketer and Podcaster jumped right in to talk about her area of expertise; social media and how to leverage the platforms to grow personally and professional. With each word bursting with enthusiasm, her passion for and knowledge of the subject was crystal clear ahem, do you see what we did there? and made it that much easier to follow. From content creation and scheduling tips, to sharing the importance of engagement, Crystal shared how to use the apps beyond personal branding, but to propel a digital business forward.
Concluding was, Digital Strategist, Brian Pereira-Donowa, who opened with the most shocking line of the session; “The old world is dead”. After allowing the attendees to get over the initial shock and fleeting depression, Brian explained how the world as we knew it would never return. Whether fortunately or unfortunately for some, we are watching the world morph into a more digitally powered one right before our eyes. This transition means that more opportunities lie within digital channels, and we must make sure we present our very best self through these channels and make ourselves available for the opportunities to come.
After an active Q&A, and several attendees stayed on after the session to chat with panelists, October’s Pass The Mic session came to a close. With a wealth of knowledge shared there’s only one thing left to ask- Session 2 anyone? Rewatch the magic below:
