5 ways to market your personal brand

Leaving something irresponsible online can hurt your brand. It isn’t even what you did. It’s the fact that five years later, you seem proud of it—when you’ve only forgotten all about it.

By Patrick Cole


You—not your company, not your company’s product or service, YOU—are a brand.

And though you‘re employed, you never know when that will change, so it’s vital to make certain your personal brand is as good as it can be.

This goes doubly in an age where everything we do goes online and stays there.

That has its advantages: The time for social media and brands has never been better.

But be careful. A headhunter can consider you for a job, look you up, and decide to move on without your ever knowing. That could be a good job and a better life lost!

Here are five tips to strengthen your online presence:

1. Spring Clean

Start going through your social media accounts. Make certain there’s no evidence of your misbehavior.

What do I mean by that?

Un-tag your drunk pictures, and get rid of stuff that makes you look like an idiot, a jerk, or lazy.

Also make certain your privacy settings work, so that argument you had a few years ago with your mate online isn’t accessible to everybody.

Many people have found out the hard way that forgotten photos and posts can hurt you.

Keep your profiles up-to-date.

It doesn’t take much time to let your social networks know where you work and what your responsibilities are.

When people look at what you do, they shouldn’t be looking at what you did five years ago.

2. Network

The adage, “It is not what you know, it’s who,” is truer than ever. Make sure you know people!

Reach out occasionally to the people you know—it doesn’t have to be often, as long as you stay in touch.

When you need a favor, help or advice, they’ll be far more likely to help you.

3. Keep to your niche

Online it doesn’t pay to talk about everything and anything.

Instead, talk about what you’re good at.

You know all about content creation versus excavation? That’s your topic.

You’re an effective leader? Talk about that.

When people look you up, you sound intelligent and well-informed, not like a goof who’ll ramble about any topic.


4. Create a Website

It’s straightforward to do and doesn’t cost much.

And if you spend a bit of time on it, it will take people’s attention away from that photo of you walking into a light pole (was that just me?).

Of course, if your site looks horrible, it will do more harm than good. So invest a little effort.

5. Sell Yourself

Seven billion people out there: A lot of competition for eyeballs.

If you want to compete, show them your capabilities.

Put your abilities on your website and in social media. Nobody will do it for you.

You don’t have to make yourself sound like a horrible person. You don’t have to tell everybody you’re the greatest when you win a prize, or get nominated, or get a new job.

Humility is still worth something.


Patrick Cole is an entrepreneur and freelancer. He is also a contributing blogger for several websites. A version of this article first appeared on Spin Sucks.


Culled from ragan.com

{VIDEO} My LASPOTECH ...My Pride

Brief Historical Background of LASPOTECH

The Lagos State Polytechnic  - LASPOTECH, formerly Lagos State College of Science and Technology, came into existence on 2nd October 1977. 

The Polytechnic was operating a multi-campus system, with campuses in Isolo, Ikorosu and Surulere.

In May 2000, the Ikorodu Campus took over from the Isolo Campus as the seat of administration of the Polytechnic and the permanent campus of the institution. Since the giant step was taken in the year 2000, the institution has moved most of its schools and departments to the Ikorodu campus, while plans are going on to move the few remaining departments of the School of Management and Business Studies in the nearest future after the completion of accommodation facilities. It is pertinent to note that the Polytechnic will still retain the Isolo Campus as the School of Part Time Studies, in view of its proximity to the major clientele for the programme, who are largely situated in the Lagos metropolis.  

This is a short documentary on the Ikorodu campus of the Polytechnic.

Enjoy...

 

Elegance, sonorous voice, defines Sola Allyson-Obaniyi

Sola Allyson-Obaniyi

  

Trailblazing Gospel singer, Shola Allyson-Obaniyi, popularly known as Eji Owuro, is not a pushover in the Nigerian music industry. She is one gospel singer who plies her trade of singing with caution and as such has successfully stayed out of scandals like some of her colleagues.  

One great asset you can't take away from the elegant and soft-spoken singer is her sonorous voice. Sola’s attempt at trying her hands on the sound-track of one of Bimbo Oshin's films, Eji Owuro, together with some of her own compositions, shot her into limelight thus becoming an instant celebrity as the album sold out beyond expectation.

Of course talent alone is not enough, and Sola is not oblivious of this fact, she is not  one of those singers who depended only on her talent to build a musical career. She holds a Higher National Diploma (HND) in Music from The Polytechnic Ibadan, though her father had thought she would grow up to become a lawyer because of the way I talked and analysed things, but here she is today, a musician.

Sola Allyson-Obaniyi was a studio back-up singer to many artistes, many of them very popular like Stella Monye, Daddy Showkey, the late Gbenga Adeboye and Yinka Ayefele. She was, in fact, a member of Kayode Olajide's band.

While speaking on the secret behind her success, the MTN Project Fame Regional music instructor and Judge, said in a recent interview with Daily Independent newspaper “there is no magic wand. It is the help of God. Eji Owuro enjoyed tremendous acceptance beyond expectation and imagination, but then, all my albums after then, Gbeje F’ori, Ire, Im’oore and Adun have also been accepted tremendously. It is just that I have the privilege of being sensitive to how God wants me to deliver the message he sent me with. And when you tread the path you are made to tread, not minding whether it would be popular or not, expressing yourself like yourself, your world listens and looks your way, and you are called “unique”, “distinct” and so on.”

Sola has this to say about her voice “my voice is a heavenly endowment. By erudition, I am a Musicologist, by profession, I am a Singer. The link shows I have been given the spiritual and physical help and skill to retain my voice. I try as much as possible to stay close to The Giver of the gift for the gift to get oiled."

Coping with stardom is not a problem for Sola, for her stardom is not a bed of roses. But as one referred to as “star”, she said “you have a choice. All of us have the capability to define the way we want to live our lives, but being a star does not define who I am. I am a woman who knows who she is in creation, what she’s made to do and sets boundaries for herself which she’s always conscious of.”

Thoughts of quitting or taking a break from music is not an option for the Eji-Owuro crooner, “No, I have never thought of quitting music. I didn’t choose to go into music. My maker chose me for music. I have had experiences, sweet, bitter, all. It has been more than 25 years of being a professional singer of which I have enjoyed 10 as a “star”. Challenges have come, but I believe all these are experiences that sharpen and shape who I should be. I am always learning. And I shall get better. Doors have opened for me. Men and women have blessed me greatly, materially. I have enjoyed goodwill. I have been privileged. But I believe this is just the beginning. Greater things will come my way, in ideas and in opportunities. I hope for the best for a great change and a more fulfilling career.

Aside singing, to unwind, Sola believes her voice is an instrument, and she “plays” it and also plays the piano/organ to unwind. As a graduate of Voice Major and Piano minor, with performance as area of specialization; one of the best the Music Technology Department of The Polytechnic, Ibadan ever produced, she also listen to radio a lot.  Every work of art is unique and Eji-Owuro accords everyone respect for their creativity. And sometimes, “I listen to no music, depending on the spiritual frequency around me. There should be silence when you need to listen and receive.” She said.

I enjoy being a woman. So being a wife and a mother is an experience I am privileged to enjoy. It is not straightforward, there are curves and corners, but then, life comes with curves and corners as a whole. My husband is my friend; our children are God’s gifts. I appreciate our relationship and treat as precious.

Stardom, marriage and motherhood have not slowed Sola down in any way, rather they have equipped her more and opened her to her the more. Trials, triumphs are great experiences for her. Walking the path she’s made to walk without coincidence, nothing just happens and she has not been slowed down, rather she’s filled with joy in the innate ability she possesses to do all at once.

LASPOTECH standstill as Masscomm students take anti-corruption campaign to campus

By Michael Orodare, HNDII MassComm

The students at the Library Complex

The Ikorodu campus of Lagos State Polytechnic, LASPOTECH was brought to a standstill last Wednesday as Film Students of the department of Mass Communication held a rally to campaign against corruption on campus.

The rally was in commemoration of the annual costume day tagged 'Against Corruption Together: Stop Corruption on Campus ACT Now!'

Vehicular and pedestrian movements on the campus was brought to a halt as the students, who were dressed in different professional, cultural and religious attires, danced round the campus with different placards, flyers and stickers bearing several anti-campus corruption messages.

The students, led by their course lecturer, Steven Anu Adesemoye, commenced the rally from the department of Mass Communication and moved round different faculties, to the Rector's office and back to their department, dancing, singing with all kinds of demonstration, calling on fellow students, lecturers and all stakeholders in the education sector to join hands to kick out corruption on Nigerian campuses if they are truly desirious of ending the brain drain, dearth of intellectualism among others in the nation's education sector.

The rally attracted the attention of students, staffers, traders and other members of the Polytechnic community. At the School of Environmental Studies and School of Engineering, the rallying students were joined by fellow students who troop out of their classes to solidarise, dance and take pictures with their colleagues and also lend their voices to the anti-campus corruption campaign.

According to the organizing committee, the theme of this session's costume day was borne out of the need to put a stop to the endemic corrupt practices which has eaten deep into the nation's education sector and has therefore put the education sector on a snail movement.

The Course Lecturer, Mr Steve Anu Adesemoye noted that corruption in the nation's education sector is not limited to the tertiary institutions, but it starts from the primary level. He therefore

advocated for proper enlightenment for lecturers and students to rid Nigeria education sector of corrupt practices, from the primary level to the tertiary level.

Adesemoye said "We are not looking for saints, we only need those who are ready to change and drop the bad in their hands in order for us to have a better society."

One of the students, Olowe Temitope described the rally as a success. She however said "we strongly hope that those concerned or affected by our campaign message will take necessary action to address the menace of corruption on our campuses in order for us to have a better academic society"

The President of the Mass Communication Students' Association  (MACSA), Omoniyi Joseph on his part described the procession as a creative and resounding effort towards fighting against corruption in our higher institutions.

Ominiyi said "if everyone and every sector in this country can take the bull by the horn by acting against corruption in all sincerity, the whole nation will be better for it."

The Zaria Clash : A Call for Caution

Like many other Nigerians, the news of the unfortunate clash between the convoy of the Chief of Army Staff, Tukur Buratai and the Shiite Islamic movement which claimed lives of Shiite followers came to me as a rude shock and a clash that ought to have been avoided at this critical time in the history of our nation.

Putting into consideration our fragile security system which has been on continuous threat in the past few years by another Islamic movement, the Boko Haram dreaded group, it will not be out of place to call for truce between the parties involved in this recent clash in order to avert another uprising of insurgency from the Northern part of the nation which has been the bedrock of terrorists attacks.

It would be recalled that the Boko Haram insurgency which has now gotten out of hands started smaller than this. In the case of Boko Haram only the leader was unlawfully killed by security operatives and his followers have continued to unleash mayhem on the entire nation over this death.

The parties involved in the Saris clash have continued to trade blames since the incident happened. The Army accused the Shiite followers of attempt to assassinate the Chief of Army Staff, while the Islamic movement on their own part claimed the soldiers simply decided to attack “defenseless people”.

A statement by the Army spokesperson, Sani Usman, said Shite members barricaded the road Mr. Buratai’s motorcade was passing to pay homage on the Emir of Zazzau, and also attend a review parade by 73 Regular Recruit Intake at the Nigerian Army Depot in Zaria.

“The sect numbering hundreds carrying dangerous weapons, barricaded the roads with bonfires, heavy stones and tyres,” he said.

Whose story should we believe?

If truly the sects were armed as the soldiers claimed, then all men of goodwill must rise up to condemn in its entirety this act by the Shiite followers. It is totally condemnable for members of a religious organization to be armed and also unleash attack on the COAS or any citizen.

Does that imply that I am supporting the soldiers for killing the citizens they are supposed to protect? Of course No! But there's a need for us to let citizens understand that the nation will not condole unlawful acts which poses a threat to the security of the nation.

A close observer claimed that any time Shi'ite  members have their program, "they proudly and arrogantly block the road and couse inconveniences to the passersby."

There is a need for government to put a regulation to religious organizations and their use of public facilities in order to guide against any inconvenience their activities might have on other members of the society and to also forestall future occurrence of unfortunate clash that might escalate into violence.

We cannot afford any form of insurgency again in this nation.

Laspotech convocates 7,000

The management of Lagos State Polytechnic (LASPOTECH) has announced that it would convocate a total of 7,022 students across all
the full time and part-time programmes at its 23rd convocation ceremony billed to hold on Thursday 9th April, 2015, at its main campus in Ikorodu.

Speaking at a Press Conference to announce the week long activities lined up for the convocation, the Rector of the polytechnic, Dr. Abdul-Azeez Lawal, disclosed that the graduands are fully prepared to face the challenges of life, because of the special entrepreneurial skills and computer education they have acquired.

Lawal, whose tenure as the polytechnic Rector expires on June 1st, 2015, has been able to transform the polytechnic into a world class institution, with the various academic upgrading and structural developments, courtesy of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND) and Lagos state government.

It was also disclosed that the Governor of Lagos State, Babatunde Raji Fashola, SAN, is expected at the convocation to sendforth the graduands into the labour market.

Present at the press briefing were the Special Adviser to the Governor on Education, Otunba Fatai Olukoga; Registrar of the Polytechnic, Princess Olufunke Ige; Deputy Registrar, Information and
Public Relations, Olarenwaju Kuye, among others. 

Activities lined up for the 23rd Convocation ceremony are as follows: 

1.) Convocation Press Conference
Date: Thursday, 2nd April, 2015.
Time: 10am
Venue: Council Chambers, Ikorodu Campus.

2.) (A.) Convocation Special Prayer for Graduands
Date: Thursday, 2nd April, 2015.
Time: 12:00 noon
Venue: Ikorodu Campus Mosque

(B.) Convocation Interdenominational Service
Time: Thursday, 2nd April, 2015.
Time: 12 noon
Venue: SM and BS Auditorium, Ikorodu Campus.

3.) 23rd Convocation Lecture
Date: Tuesday, 7th April, 2015.
Time: 12 noon
Venue: SM and BS Auditorium, Ikorodu Campus.

4.) (A.) Convocation Rehearsals (All
Academic Processions and Graduands)
Date: Wednesday, 8th April, 2015.
Time: 10am Prompt
Venue: School of Agriculture Auditorium, Ikorodu Campus

(B.) Convocation Variety Show/ Drama Presentations (by Mass Communication Department)
Date: Wednesday, 8th April, 2015.
Time: 12 noon – 3 pm
Venue: SM and BS Auditorium, Ikorodu Campus.

(C.) Convocation Football Match
Date: Wednesday, 8th April, 2015.
Time: 4pm – 6pm
Venue: Football Field, Ikorodu Campus.

5.) A. Convocation Ceremony
Date: Thursday, 9th April, 2015.
Time: 10am Prompt
Venue: School of Agriculture Auditorium, Ikorodu Campus.

B. Convocation Lunch
Date: Thursday, 9th April, 2015.
Venue: Polytechnic Field

Signed

Aderonke Ige

Registrar/Secretary to Council 

#Letr2Jack: Money Matters – 2 by Leke Alder

Dear Jack

 

When a marriage is under financial strain, 

men and women exhibit strange characters...

lack of money..in a marriage...breeds fear and 

turns you into a spiritual analyst. 

And so the woman becomes the enemy, a suspect, not an ally.

My dear Jack, if you don’t want the truth don’t ask me for advice. I’ve told you money is important in marriage. A lack of money can break a marriage. And where it doesn’t it can do irreparable damage. It will reconfigure the relationship between you and your wife. It’s why I tell young men not to go into marriage without a job. You’re going to put enormous strain on the marriage. No matter how much you love each other, when there’s no money the union will be pressured. And when a marriage is under financial strain, men and women exhibit strange characters. You’ll be shocked what that goody goody girlfriend of yours will do under financially induced marital strain. Even you will change under pressure. And financial pressure can be particularly hard on young men. Linked to self-esteem.

Life demands of young men they substantiate their affection with means. And because men define themselves by attainment, a lack of money greatly affects social status. When there’s financial pressure, the more your wife tries to console and comfort you the more you’ll snap. The brunt of financial pressure is borne by those in close proximity. And so both of you will turn on each other. Then the illogical begins to happen. You’ll grow superstitious, wondering if marrying the young woman was the incipience of a regime of lack… Wondering whether the woman is a harbinger of bad fortune you shouldn’t have married. That’s what lack of money can do in a marriage. It breeds fear and turns you into a spiritual analyst. And so the woman becomes the enemy, a suspect, not an ally. And things spiral down from there. Controlled by superstition and fear, you’ll refuse to eat her food. Maybe she “spiked” it. Soon your mother-in-law will become a witch. Along with her daughters, they’re a coven of witches. Why won’t you just spare yourself arrant and suspicious spirituality and just go and get yourself a job?

I have said it before: there’s the sentimentality of love. But there’s also the dutifulness of love. Love portends responsibility. Love has a disciplinary component. Love is patient, love is kind, love is not envious, love is not boastful or proud… Love doesn’t demand its own way, love hardly notices when the other does it wrong… Those definitions of love are beyond sentimentalism. They bespeak restraint, discipline and responsibility. Love is responsible and disciplined.

Now I don’t know the philosophy you subscribe to as per marriage…(Every marriage is guided by a philosophy of life)… But where I’m coming from, a man must be responsible for his wife and kids. He must provide for them. And your financial responsibility is independent of the income of your wife, though you can create a combine. But if you subscribe to the notion of being a house-husband, all well and good. It’s your choice and I respect that. It’s a new sociology, but don’t complain you’re not accorded respect. If you want respect as man- and respect means a lot to us men, be financially responsible in your marriage. As a man there are things you must do. I’m sure you have expectations of your wife too. But something tells me, deep down no one wants to marry a liability. Everyone wants an asset. And no one wants to marry a depreciating asset either, or redundant asset. Redundancy has carrying cost.

And it’s not just about you. You want your son to be proud of you as a father. You want him to emulate you. You want to be a worthy example to your son, to be a living example. It may be tough paying those school fees at times but all the young man wants to know is, “Daddy is trying!” Have you ever wondered why the children of drunks hate their father? Think about it. It’s not just that he’s raucous and uncontrollable and a social disgrace. There’s also the issue of him debilitating the only productive asset in the home- their mother. In principle, an irresponsible father is no different from that drunk. Irresponsibility is a common factor. Get a job. It might not be the ideal job you want but your wife knows you’re doing something. And your little son knows Daddy is working hard, struggling. He will pray for you. And you pass on to your son the values of work ethic, honesty, discipline, self-worth. If your son doesn’t imbibe those values your old age may not be pleasant.

The woman has to handle the social disgrace of no money in marriage. She has to buy goods on credit. And she has friends. She either has to keep lying (and they know she’s lying) or relate in shame. That’s not saying you should be like the Joneses. Much of the avowed prosperity of the Joneses is a mirage. You never know the true story about the Joneses. And your name is not Tom Jones. So there’s the contentment side to manliness, being proud of what you’ve achieved so far, hoping for the best. No, that’s not what I’m talking about. I’m talking about laboring with your own hands and looking out for opportunities. And when opportunities come, grabbing them with both hands… Being diligent in the pursuit of the future. 

But if you start making excuses for non-achievement, you’re going to turn it into a philosophy.

And please don’t hate what you desire. Stop hating the successful. Not every successful person is crooked. I’m just saying the pressure won’t stop on your marriage until you sort out the money angle. Get a job! You start somewhere and you progress. The longer you put off getting into employment the more you defer the future. Don’t allow life overtake you. And you know that’s happening when your colleagues are zooming past you. And that’s my ounce of advice. What you do with it is really up to you.

Your mentor, LA.

© Leke Alder 

You can reach Leke Alder via:
talk2me@lekealder.com