Agents, publicists, and business managers work hard to promote actors and entertainers every day. The goal of these people is to continually market the talent they represent. How easy would it be for us to land our perfect job if we had three to five people touting our expertise, knowledge and benefits to prospective employers every time a new job or career was on the horizon? You may not be able to afford such a personal marketing team, but the need to “market or publicize” your value is not going away.

Before looking at some of the new tools that can help you tout your credentials, let’s take a peek at some key and important elements of personal marketing. It is here we get into the age-old argument of style over content in your life. Let’s not be naïve, we all know people who have been hired solely because of their style, self-presentation, or savoir faire. Ask any manager who hires personnel and by and large they would choose content over style. So, my question to you is: “What are you doing today to add content to your marketing profile?”

The simplest way to describe this idea of content is best captured in the book by Ed Keller and Jon Berry, The Influentials. They claim that one in ten Americans influence how the other nine vote, where they eat, and what they buy. Their bottom line is by being involved in their community (church, civic organizations, politics, schools, etc.) they touch and reach the lives of a much larger pool of people thereby extending their influence.

The essential crux of adding content to your résumé hinges on your ability to add substance to your life through societal engagement. The authors’ findings are not related to being a leader in all of these organizations, rather just being involved adds to your personal credibility as an influential.

There is not a grocery list of activities “to do”. The community you live in is unique and provides unique opportunities or you might have some unique interests. What is important is the necessary step of “doing” something. It is the “something” then that will add to your marketing portfolio.

Speaking of marketing portfolios, websites and blogs can be employed as your personal marketing entourage. Places like vision-resume.com and to some degree, blog sites, offer opportunities to add to your marketing arsenal. These new outlets provide you the opportunity to let the world or prospective employers know just what you have that they need. From writing samples to graphic displays of your work, from attachments to online interviews, these tools are offering you a place to share and display your talents in a creative and innovative fashion.

Are you an architect who would like to have a virtual portfolio rather than an actual one? Are you a teacher who would like to attach sample teaching lessons as part of your application? Are you a theater talent that would like to attach voice or video as part of your display of talent?

The opportunities are endless to use these new personal marketing tools as long as you have something to say!