Ladders, samurai, and blue collars: Personal branding in Web 2.0

Abstract

Drawing on the work of Gilles Deleuze, Eva Illouz, and Mark Andrejevic, this paper critiques the personal branding literature, particularly as it applies to Web 2.0 social media. I first describe the three-part logic of personal branding: dividuation, emotional capitalism, and autosurveillance. Next, in a sort of mirror image to the self-help literature of personal branding, I offer a critical "how to" guide to branding oneself in Web 2.0. Finally, I conclude with a discussion of why personal branding can be seen as a rational choice, given the circumstances of globalized capitalism and precarious employment. Individuals who brand themselves willfully adopt the logic of capitalism in order to build their human capital. However, I ultimately argue that the obsession with personal branding is no antidote for life in precarious times.

Non-Technical Skills for IT Professionals in the landscape of Social Media

“…Selfawareness involves and understanding what are your skills, abilities, knowledge, talent, personality, strengths, and weaknesses and what others see in you (Capel, 2011;Morgan, 2011;Vitberg, 2010). This personal assessment allows individuals to identify what makes them unique and communicate this to others (Gehl, 2011;Labreque et al, 2010). This information should be communicated on the web and at work in a consistent manner (Montoya & Vandehey, 2002;Shepherd, 2005).…”

“…2012;Churches, 2009;Majchrzak, Wagner & Yates, 2013;Wagner & Bolloju, 2005;Yates, Wagner, & Majchrzak, 2010) Personal Branding for IT Professionals A significant non-technical skill that has become increasingly needed is personal branding (Harris & Rae, 2011). Personal branding is the process by which individuals market themselves to the public and reflects one's skills abilities and lifestyles (Gehl, 2011;Gunelius, 2010;Hearn, 2008;Labreque, Markus & Milne, 2011;Montoya & Vandehey, 2002;Morgan, 2011;Peters, 1997;Quast, 2013;Rampersad, 2010Rampersad, & 2006Shepherd, 2005;Vitberg, 2009). Professionals in any field need to understand that actions engaged in today can affect their future HR professionals use social network sites to screen for job candidates and inappropriate photos or negative comments about an organization can lead to not be hiring or dismissed (Finder, 2006;Roberts & Roach, 2009).…”

“…Blogs, podcasts, Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and YouTube have been used as mediums for personal branding (Chen, 2013;Gehl, 2011;Greer & Ferguson, 2011;Harris & Rae, 2011;Hearn, 2008). An IT professional can also demonstrate knowledge and share experiences through presentations on YouTube, Vimeo or LinkedIn and on any platform an organization uses (Chen, 2013;Dutta, 2010;Schwabel, 2009).…”

“…The influence of one's personal brand can also be measured and it is important to monitor one's personal brand online (Dutta, 2010;Gehl, 2011;Gunelius, 2010). For instance Google Alert and Social Mention can track how frequently people or companies are searching for an individual.…”

“…Individuals should be authentic and demonstrate their character both online and offline (Dutta, 2010;Gehl, 2011;Harris & Rae, 2011;Rampersad, 2001). To maintain a positive personal brand, IT professionals should be professional, interesting and responsive (Montoya & Vandehey, 2002;Rampersad, 2001).…”