We all want to do our jobs well. That’s a given. Every morning when we wake up, a set of tasks lies before us that we need to tackle and complete successfully before we head back to bed. The time, attention, care and expertise that we put into each of these tasks will keep our lives in order and help us stay employed (in jobs we hopefully enjoy).

But what if there’s more out there than just this? What if we put a little extra effort into getting our name in lights, so to speak, and raking in a whole new set of opportunities for money, praise, and advancement? What could go wrong? What could go right? Maybe it’s time to find out.

Personal and Professional Marketing: Elevate Your Strategy

Do you know why services like Web Chimpy are important? People live in the real world, but they also spend an increasing amount of their time online. To market yourself properly, you’ll need to shine in both elements. And for that begin to take the local SEO course from Local Client Takeover to become an expert in marketing soon. Consider your online personal and start to Get More Information. Do you Google yourself on a regular basis? If not, it’s time to start. Control your digital personality, and if you don’t have one, get one. Blogs and websites are inexpensive to build and easy to maintain. Once you have both, make sure your social media profiles are active and contain links to back to your site, your blog, and any other existing forms of positive press about you.

Make sure that as you toil away at your daily tasks, your marketing campaigns (check it out here for options) are out there working for you and helping you shine. Your social media profiles, search engine results and real-world buzz should stay both positive and active. People should always know where to find you and you can read the article here to know more about how to build up a good profile. And when they come looking, make sure you’re there to welcome them, answer their questions, and respond to their messages. Return phone calls. Even when it doesn’t seem to matter. And keep your public face public; that means welcoming, warm, accessible, competent and cheerful. All the time.

Keep Your Head Up and Go Where the Jobs Are

Opportunity doesn’t just come to those who work hard. In fact, she often skips right past the hardest workers whose shoulders are hunched over their desks. Hard work is an indispensable part of any long term plan, for sure, but while we’re throwing ourselves into absorbing tasks day after day, it’s a good idea to stay awake and tuned into the larger world. Sometimes when opportunity knocks, it does so very quietly.

While you’re staying tuned in, try to stand where lightning is most likely to strike. If you want an opportunity badly, surround yourself with people who can help you. Spend time with them. Position yourself, literally, in rooms where the odds are in your favor.

Details Matter (Especially When it Comes to Words)

Try not to be photographed holding an alcoholic beverage. Smile genuinely. Look for the good in people: doing so will enlarge your eyes and soften the lines in your face. Stand up straight. Under-promise so you can over-deliver. And most important, don’t just say things. Your mouth is your full time PR representative, and when she speaks, people listen. Don’t ramble, make idle remarks, give insincere compliments, or expect your comments to be ignored. Images have meaning and power, and words have even more; If you respect the things you say (and write), other people will too.

Reach out to the employment experts at Merritt for more guidance with the self-marketing process and tips on how to build your personal brand.