Pinterest has become the new sensation for social media savvy people. Not only can you display your favorite fashion trends or your fabulous dream home but you can create your own professional portfolio and showcase your personal brand.
I have been “pinning” since October and it has become one of my favorite pastimes (due to its tendency of being highly addictive!) Since I’ve been pinning, I’ve created styles for my future apartment, dream home, and my most whimsical (dream) wedding. I’ve also thrown in a couple of my favorite hairstyles and fashion trends. The possibilities with Pinterest are endless. However, there has become a whole new way to approach Pinterest; to boost your resume and to build your brand.
I’ve recently discovered the power of pinning. Pinterest is a tool that can be utilized to market your brand and to build up your resume and portfolio. What is your brand you may ask? It’s the way you want to display your personality to peers, coworkers, and even your future employers. With Pinterest you can upload your own photos and link your pins back to your blog, website, tumblr, or any other form of social media you use.
Pinterest is a great way to visually share your story with others. Through pinning the things that you love, you can show others what your passions are. You can also use Pinterest as a way to organize your inspiration for your personal brand. This is a great tool to further your own style as well as to discover what kind of industry that you desire to work in.
For inspiration you may want to start boards that include future companies you’d love to work for, cities you’d want to live in, and the things that inspire you each and every day. You may also want to include a board for your resume. This could include a video of your self, contact information, and photos of your involvement, achievements, examples of your work, and academic experiences. Just remember to keep content professional.
You may wonder if using Pinterest as a branding tool is even useful. There is debate about whether or not Pinterest is an effective way of branding, but remember this is just another tool. Pinterest offers an array of different ways that you can showcase yourself and it also depends if your future career would benefit from this platform. If you are planning a career in public relations, social media, or business, Pinterest may be beneficial for you to use. Pinning is all about you and how you want to make use of it.
With Pinterest the possibilities are endless. Show the world who you are and what you love, but also keep in mind a sense of professionalism if you choose to use this as a way to market yourself. Continue to pin things that define your personality as well as your inspiration, goals, and dreams.
Olivia Adams is a sophomore at Ferris State University, majoring in Public Relations. She is involved with Public Relations Student Society of America, National Society of Collegiate Scholars and is the founder of the Spanish Club at her school. Olivia is passionate about creativity, social media, writing, and travel. You may follow her on Twitter at @OliviaAdams6.