The market has changed drastically in the last few years. I'm not just speaking about the economy either. For journalists, acclaim or merit was once given to them based on the publication you wrote for, but in the new world of global communications these types of institutions have been cut off at the knees. The future of media may not be made up of institutions, but rather individuals. That's where books like Me 2.0 (on sale March 30th) comes in.

Dan Schawbel plays many roles in his professional career: He is a social media specialist for EMC, an author, but most importantly, perhaps, he is a personal brander. His theory? We are all brands and we need to market ourselves that way.

Years ago—even in the Web 1.0 era—you were a nobody unless you were a high-ranking executive at a money making business. You needed press to fuel your reputation. Now with the popularity of blogs, Twitter and social networks, any one with a compelling voice can reach out and create a following for themselves.

This is exactly what Dan did. Even though he graduated with a great resume filled with prestigious internships and leadership roles, he still couldn't get a job. Throughout college he'd blogged, but after college he had time to take his internet work to the next level. In six months he had a blog, awards, an online TV series and a dozen published articles in magazines and websites. After reading a profile of him in Fast Company, EMC discovered a talent they never knew they wanted and recruited Dan to be the first social media specialist for their corporation.

This personal journey is outlined in his new book Me 2.0 along with a how-to guide on creating your own personal brand and defining your niche in the market place. For more information check out Dan's website here.