Here's how you can align temporary work opportunities with your personal brand goals.

Yes, when you take short-term work that aligns with your brand message, it reinforces your brand. Also, taking on work that is similar or connected in some way can show interest in a focused area. It can be narrow or broad depending on your interest in being a specialist or generalist but it should not be totally random. T-shaped skills are good where you have depth in one area and some breadth in knowledge of the related areas. Overall, it should be organized and structured in some way and reflect your brand message.

The world of work is evolving, and temporary or contract positions are becoming increasingly common. While some might see these gigs as resume fillers, they can be powerful tools for building a strong personal brand. Here's how to leverage temporary work opportunities to leave a lasting impression and advance your career goals: Find Alignment: Not all temporary gigs are created equal. Seek out projects that align with your skills and long-term aspirations. This showcases your focus and expertise within your chosen field. Did you dream of working in social media marketing? Take a contract role managing a company's social media channels. This allows you to demonstrate your abilities while building a portfolio of real-world experience.

Skill stack as much as you can, however going off on a complete tangent that won’t benefit later is not good. Ensure skills and work aligns, compliments each other and can be used or benefit in some fashion later on!

To align temporary work with your personal brand goals, choose goals that enhance your skills, reflect your values, and build your desired reputation. This strategic approach ensures consistent personal and professional growth.

Taking on a gig that is not in line with your brand persona due to one reason or the other... is like killing your brand by yourself. When you're building a personal brand, you should be interested in gigs that align with your brand values, something that will strengthen your brand and project it positively. If it can't help project the brand you're building, then it's not a perfect fit for you.

Your skills should always reflect your personal brand. And one way to enhance skills is by practice. Taking temporary roles that will give you an opportunity to enhance your skill should be your target. When you add this to your portfolio, it makes you stand out among competitors.

Following the skill stacking mentioned in my comment above, this is a great lesson in going horizontal and vertical. You never know what skills you’ll need in the future or what people you’ll meet along the way that can attest to your work, your communication, and ultimately can help at a later time. Perhaps it may even be the other way around.

If I had to order these, I would say offer value first. Everyone goes to networking events for the sole purpose of what they are going to take away from it, however, coming out the gate with value first and interrupting the pattern with what are you going to offer without expectation of anything in return will generate great reciprocity and of course, set you up for good success

Networking in the context of temporary work becomes an exercise in bridge-building. While showcasing skills is crucial, consider these temporary roles as opportunities to cultivate genuine connections. Seek out mentors within these projects – individuals whose expertise aligns with your long-term goals. Engage in thoughtful conversations, ask insightful questions that demonstrate your deeper aspirations, and offer your own unique perspective in return. These temporary bridges can transform into long-lasting connections, fostering future collaborations and recommendations that propel you toward your personal brand aspirations.

The more videos, and the more exposure, the better, non-egotistical, providing value to others, while also solving problems by making things accessible, easier to understand or more efficient in “your way“ with “your secret“ always works better than the opposite!

Taking roles that allows you create contents that are inline with your brand is very ideal. As the world is going digital, your content will be seen by more audience which will help reinforce that you're expert in the field. In the long run, this will rub off on your brand and you will become an authority in your niche due the amount of audience your content has reached. Content creation is one way to solidify your personal brand.

Temporary work, often seen as a resume filler, can be a strategic springboard for building a robust personal brand. Think of it as a series of brushstrokes on a larger canvas. Each project allows you to showcase a specific skill or delve into a new industry, demonstrating your versatility and adaptability. Content creation is key. Share your learnings and insights on social media platforms like LinkedIn, highlighting the unique challenges and triumphs of each temporary role. This not only positions you as a thought leader but also attracts potential clients seeking your specific expertise for future projects, aligning your personal brand with the agility and dynamism of the modern work landscape.

Here’s how I turned my passion project into a PAID side gig & aligned it with my personal brand: Get Me Hired Kristi uses content creation to assist candidates through the job search & ultimately help them get hired. I was able to use those transferable skills to land a part-time role as an Influencer Community Manager- managing interactions with creators that also helps job seekers get hired! The Get Me Hired Kristi brand has now expanded its strategy to helping more people land job, which is beyond the type of impact I thought I could ever make! Don’t take temporary/contract work for granted. Use it to elevate yourself & take your brand to the next level! You got this! #GetMeHiredKristi

When I finished high school, I moved to Southern California to work at Disneyland in the parades and special events. My shifts were usually late in the evening. I had all day to do work for temporary services. It was a great education for me, because I figured out that staying busy was the best way to combat boredom in these roles. I typically finished whatever tasks were assigned early (which, yes, meant that they asked me to pick up a broom and sweep before leaving - I never had a single role, whether it was clerical or light industrial, where they didn't ask me to sweep). I consistently got excellent ratings, which meant I consistently was sent to the best customers. When I decided it was time for college, I applied the same work ethic.

The temporary work you do is part of you, which makes it part of your brand! Find unique ways to tie it all together. For Example: I took on a role as temporary test grader to make some extra cash. Doesn’t seem like it has much to do with helping candidates in their job search does it? Well it actually does! Not only am I gaining extra resources to fund Get Me Hired Kristi, but grading test allows me to pin point key details & highlight the attention grabbers in open ended questions, much like I would do when helping candidates with their resumes & reach out messages. See how everything aligns now? Get creative & you’ll see all the opportunities you have to enhance your personal brand! #GetMeHiredKristi

Here's another thing to consider. You can always say NO when a gig is not fit for you, Or you feel it's not in line with your brand values and what you want your brand to represent. No matter the amount of money involved, learn to say NO. Taking on jobs that are not geared towards the growth and improvement of your brand is more like taking yourself some steps backwards and before you realize it, you've complicated your brand persona. The truth remains that there's is confidence in saying NO. And you will always be respected for it. It shows how truthful, straightforward, and trustworthy you're as a person.