Are you aware that LinkedIn has branding policies with color palettes, logos, core shapes, and a custom font, which are part of their Brand Guidelines?

LinkedIn has registered trademarks and notes their name should include either the ® or ™ symbol when referring to their services.

A recent post by Kevin Turner (who you should follow to be informed of all new LinkedIn updates) shared the insights he gathered from LinkedIn’s legal department. Frankly, I am still a bit confused.

That post got me thinking about the rebranding of our nonprofit.

The legal entity name of our 501(c)3 nonprofit is Philadelphia Area Great Careers Group.

We used Great Careers Groups temporarily until a pro bono attorney registered the Great Careers Network mark with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

As instructed, we have started using the service mark as we wait for an Examining Attorney to review the application, which takes six to nine months from the April 2024 application filing.

We have updated our website and social media and will continue updating them as we catch “too numerous to count” instances.

Once we have the approval, I will need clarification on whether we use the ® or ™ symbol.

In December 2021, we announced the refresh and rebrand with a new logo of the GCG initials and an extended logo with our tagline, Your Career Our Mission. That article provided the back story of our organization, which started in 2010 as just a meetup group.

I took over the organization nine years ago, on August 4, 2015, when the meetup group had 1722 members. The meetup group has grown to 6234 members, plus a couple of thousand additional members who only register on our website.

These are not all paid members, though I would be ecstatic if they were. We are only funded by a small members fee and donations through our Givebutter platform.

In reviewing the meetup analytics dashboard, we have hosted 6050 events and 43,737 RSVPs, just on the meetup, though far more than that on our website.

The membership fee is the price of a cuppa coffee a month for 18-25 events. Good luck finding professional career education development at that price elsewhere. That’s over 20 hours of programming for around $5 a month geared for unemployed, underemployed, self-employed, and employed individuals.

So, even if you attended one event a month for over an hour, you would find it far more valuable than the $5 investment, not to mention the good feeling of supporting a 501(c)3 nonprofit that caters to economic empowerment.

Below is some verbiage from our strategic plan.

Purpose

Organized to empower our community and members to navigate their careers in today’s workforce utilizing career education opportunities, networking events, and an array of supportive resources.

Vision

Provide comprehensive solutions and resources for career options and career advancement through education and meaningful networking opportunities.

Mission

Be a lifelong educational resource for professionals who aspire to have successful careers and leave a positive impact on the world.

Values

Achievement, Accountability, Community, Diversity, Empowerment, Growth, Inclusion, Integrity, Inspiration, Optimism, Professionalism, Respect

Now that you know more about us, check out our upcoming events and become a member of our organization. We deliver! Small price! Big value!

Did you read the article from last week? Pros, Cons, and Tips for Launching a LinkedIn Newsletter

NEXT STEPS

• Subscribe to my newsletter on LinkedIn™ for bright ideas on how to manage your career.
• If you need a resume or LinkedIn™ profile to get you to your next step, book a call to chat!
• Join as a member at https://greatcareers.org/membership of the #1 business networking association on the Philadelphia Business Journal’s Book of Lists four years in a row!
• To support our charity at KeepOnSharing.com and use the referral code Career
• Follow #GreatCareersPHL

UPCOMING EVENTS

Check out our Nonprofit Events Quick List Page for More

• Mon Sep 9 – Career Success Group Job Seeker Accountability & Networking
• Tue Sep 10 – Tips to Build Your LinkedIn Brand
• Tue Sep 10 – LGBTQ+ OUTstanding Careers Group™
• Wed Sep 11 – Careerland Q&A LinkedIn Audio for the Game of Life
• Thu Sep 12 – Virtual Jobseeker Support Group
• Thu Sep 12 – Cake Walk: A Fully Baked Memoir
• Mon Sep 16 – 3 Steps on the Road to Leadership in Your New Career
• Tue Sep 17 – Lehigh Valley Business Executives Networking Group (BENG) meeting
• Wed Sep 18 – Selling Yourself and Influencing Others
• Thu Sep 19 – Recruiter on Call with Jobs LinkedIn Audio
• Thu Sep 19 – Questions to Ask Hiring Managers and How to Spot the Great Ones
• Sat Sep 21 – LinkedIn Part 2 of 3 Online Workshop
• Sun Sep 22 – Tips to Optimize Your Resume
• Mon Sep 23 – Immigrant Professional Career Support Group
• Tue Sep 24 – Business Executives Networking Group (BENG) & Guests meeting
• Tue Sep 24 – LinkedIn Profile Reviews
• Wed Sep 25 – How to Figure Out What to Do Next in Life followed by Networking Introductions
• Thu Sep 26 – Career Success Group Job Seeker Accountability & Networking
• Mon Sep 30 & Tue Oct 1- GSC-SHRM Conference & Expo