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In today's world, a successful career will go through many unexpected twists and turns. Being laid off or even fired doesn't mean much if you can keep coming back stronger than ever. Branding yourself helps you stay in touch with what is happening and attract offers when you need them.

Your personal brand is all about how you establish and guide your reputation. If you haven't thought about it, start with these five steps to create an effective and successful brand.

1. Decide how you want to be perceived.

People don't have a lot of time to get to know others these days. Help them along by presenting an attractive, concise picture of who you are, what you can do for them, and why they should work with you. Catch their attention in 25 words or less and most people are willing to spend some time developing a relationship and exploring options.

2. Find your neighbors.

In the old days, people operated with their neighborhoods, towns, or cities. Today you can go global sitting at your computer. Remember that people still judge you by the company you keep. Be selective about what groups you join and who you link with online. You may find potential clients, employers, competitors, and partners. It's all good as it all helps to establish who you are.

3. Be active.

Networking and relationship-building is a great way to get known and to stay current. Think about joining fewer groups and doing more with each one. Ask and answer questions, start your own conversation, volunteer for a leadership position. Remember that "givers get." Helping someone else when things are going well for you can pay huge dividends later on.

4. Start now.

If you haven't already started developing your personal brand, do it now. Create your 25 word summary and sign on to some of the online social networks like LinkedIn (www.linkedin.com) or Facebook (www.facebook.com). It's free. It's easy. And opportunities will open up as you go.

5. Build your brand as your go.

Worried that branding will take too much time or that you won't get it right immediately? Don't be. Start now with your best effort. Make changes and tweaks as you see what works and what doesn't. Whenever you do something that fits with your brand, make sure you let all of your new friends know about it.

Personal branding can be an amazing tool for helping you navigate the career you deserve. Managed properly, it can also be great fun and immensely rewarding.

Learn more about this author, Judy Dowing.
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