Pelatihan Strategi Corporate Communication dan Personal Branding bagi Siswa SMK dalam Meningkatkan Kesiapan Dunia Kerja di Era Digital

Abstract

Perubahan pola rekrutmen dan komunikasi kerja berbasis digital menempatkan kemampuan nonteknis sebagai bekal penting bagi lulusan pendidikan vokasi. Siswa SMK tidak cukup hanya menguasai kompetensi sesuai program keahlian, tetapi perlu mampu menyampaikan kapasitas dirinya secara profesional dan membangun rekam jejak digital yang mendukung karier. Kegiatan Pengabdian kepada Masyarakat ini dilaksanakan di SMK Islamiyah Ciputat untuk memperkuat kesiapan siswa melalui pelatihan corporate communication dan personal branding. Program menggunakan pendekatan partisipatif yang memadukan pemaparan singkat, diskusi kasus, latihan perkenalan profesional, simulasi wawancara, dan refleksi penggunaan media digital. Pelaksanaan kegiatan memperlihatkan berkembangnya cara pandang peserta terhadap komunikasi kerja. Peserta mulai memahami pentingnya ketepatan pesan, etika, sikap, dan kemampuan menyesuaikan komunikasi dengan lawan bicara. Pada aspek personal branding, siswa memperoleh pemahaman bahwa identitas profesional dibangun melalui konsistensi kompetensi, perilaku, karya, dan jejak digital. Simulasi juga membantu peserta menyusun presentasi diri secara lebih terarah. Kegiatan ini menunjukkan bahwa pembelajaran berbasis praktik dapat menjadi alternatif penguatan soft skills siswa SMK. Pendampingan berkelanjutan dan evaluasi terukur tetap diperlukan agar keterampilan yang diperoleh berkembang menjadi kebiasaan profesional.

Digital recruitment and workplace communication have increased the importance of non-technical competencies for vocational school graduates. Technical expertise alone is insufficient when students are unable to communicate their abilities professionally or establish a career-supportive digital presence. This community service program was conducted at SMK Islamiyah Ciputat to strengthen students' work readiness through corporate communication and personal branding training. A participatory approach was applied by combining concise lectures, case discussions, professional self-introduction exercises, interview simulations, and reflection on digital media use. The activities indicated a developing understanding of workplace communication among participants. Students became more aware of message accuracy, communication ethics, professional attitude, and the need to adapt communication to different audiences. Regarding personal branding, participants learned that a professional identity is shaped by consistent competence, conduct, work outputs, and digital footprints. Simulation activities also helped students organize their self-presentation more systematically. The program suggests that practice-oriented learning can support vocational students' soft-skill development. Continuous mentoring and measurable evaluation are recommended to turn the acquired knowledge into sustainable professional habits.