7 tips for building a great professional reputation

Flickr/University of Exeter

When you’re starting out in life, you’re not likely to spend much time pondering your credit report.

You’re not running out to buy any big ticket items; you’re just trying to make ends meet.

You can get credit — even before you establish a credit history — simply because Visa, MasterCard, and all the rest want your business and are willing to give you the benefit of the doubt.

It’s the same deal when you get those first few business clients. Whether or not someone referred you, you are an unknown entity and are being given a shot to prove you were worth the risk she took in working with you.

It’s insanely easy to get into huge trouble with credit cards. It can take years to get out of debt, which can compromise your ability to purchase the things youtruly want when you want them later.

Your reputation works exactly the same way. The more you conscientiously do things to establish good credit with those first few relationships or jobs or clients, the stronger your professional reputation credit rating will be. The more debt you rack up—intentionally or unintentionally—the longer it will take to undo it, and you will be perceived as a bad risk if prospective clients decide to ask around.

How do you start establishing your professional reputation? The bad news is you have to do the legwork. But the good news is that you can promote yourself without coming off like an obnoxious blowhard. Here’s the drill:

1. Chat up your business.

Tell people in a non-braggy, but enthusiastic way what your company is up to. Be positive, phrasing it something like this: "We’re launching our beta next week with my incredible team." Because you said "we," your listener won’t think you are clobbering him with your self-promotion.

2. Stay in contact.

Every once in a while, drop a short friendly email to lots of people with whom you have some personal relationship — even a tenuous one — and tell them what your company is doing.

3. Get to know people in PR.

Make friends with people in public relations. Invite one out to lunch.

 4. Write press releases.

It’s not that hard. So if you have landed a big client, write a quick press release and send it to your alumni magazine or local papers. They are always looking for free, well-written space-fillers, um, I mean stories.

 5. Remember your friends.

Your friends will then tell everyone they know because they like you.

 6. Surround yourself with positive people.

Negative people spread negative stuff that other people do listen to.

7. Get it in writing.

If someone — a client, a vendor, anyone but your mom — says something positive about your work, ask them to send you a note as to how happy they are with your work.

Managing your career reputation is critical from the get-go, and every day brings a fresh start to ensure your image and brand is being portrayed as you want it to be.

NOW WATCH: Here's what fruits and vegetables looked like before we domesticated them