An online presence is extremely important in today’s digital age. According to a survey, 35% of employers are less likely to interview applicants they can’t find online.
In an article in Forbes, Dan Schawbel, a research director at Future Workplace, suggests that our online presence will soon replace our resume.
Even though a CV is not completely redundant today, your employer is likely to have at least a cursory glance at your social profiles before calling you for an interview.
So how do you ensure an online presence that impresses and not disappoints? Here’s a quick guide.
Create A LinkedIn Profile
LinkedIn is the largest networking website for linking professionals to their prospective employers. It gives you the ability to build a digital resume showcasing your experience, affiliations, skills, education and contact information
It is also the first place your employers will research you since it allows them to view content from your twitter and blog as well.
Having a LinkedIn profile is considered a basic professional requirement in most industries today. You can also use it to research companies, interviewers, recruiters, and hiring managers before submitting an application.
Make sure that you have a complete and compelling profile with at least 3 references. Your profile picture is how people are introduced to you. Add a recent one with minimal makeup. Don’t forget to smile!
Showcase Your Work Online
Impress your potential employers by sharing your accomplishments on your website. It could be your published research papers, articles, projects, presentations and speeches, any volunteering work, accolades, or certificates.
An effective way of displaying your work is by creating a blog. You could establish yourself as an authority in your field by publishing and sharing thought-leading articles. It will also help recruiters have a better understanding of your competence and capabilities.
YouTube is another high ranking site, just like blogs. If you have given speeches or presentations of which you own the copyright, consider putting them on YouTube.
An impressive YouTube video is usually short, strong, and well-edited. But where is the youtube video editor that is simple and easy to use? Right here!
If you’re in the creative industry being part of online communities could benefit you a lot. Such sites provide a conducive environment to share, invite feedbacks, learn, grow, and at the same time, forge a positive reputation for yourself.
Update Your Profile Regularly
Having an outdated social media account is as good as not having an account at all. Your recruiters need to see your most recent job descriptions, achievements, and other challenges so that they can accurately assess your capabilities.
If your account is not updated, you’re giving out the signal that you’re not interested enough to be headhunted. Be pro-active and make changes in your profile as and when needed.
Evaluate Consistency
Inconsistency in your resume and social media platform is a big red flag to potential employers. It showcases your lackadaisical attitude. Worse, they may consider you a duplicitous, false person.
Make sure that your social media profiles include all details that you have mentioned on your resume.
Similarly, you would want to maintain consistency across all social media platforms as well. Check if the details you’ve put in various profiles regarding your education, work experience, and accomplishments are similar.
It’s best to have the same name across all accounts. That facilitates a recruiter’s search for you and makes you look more professional.
Express Yourself Across Different Platforms
Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter are less formal networking sites; however, do not underestimate their potential to connect with professionals from your niche. These sites allow you to include light-hearted materials from your life and connect at a personal level.
Your digital footprint does not always have to cater to your professional life. Personal posts and updates outside of work produce a more holistic representation of you and make you appear more genuine.
Don’t try to limit your social activities to posting and commenting on your social network accounts. Participate in online forums, comment on others’ blogs, write reviews on books, movies, travels.
Some people prefer listening to podcasts than watching YouTube videos. Try InVideo’s free youtube to mp3 converter to quickly convert your videos to podcasts and maximize your audience reach.
These activities will build your reputation over time and make your resume more credible.
Stay Aware of Changes in Privacy
Privacy policies on Facebook and other social networking sites keep changing from time to time.
Not all your posts portray you in a good light in front of potential employers. You may want to limit access to some of them. For that, you need to be well-versed with changes in privacy policies.
Further, privacy policies also determine how searchable your profile is. You should make it easy for potential employers to search your profile and get to know you better.
Be Mindful Of What You Share
The following online content is most likely to eliminate a candidate from consideration:
Pictures Of Partying Including Alcohol Consumption
While everyone loves to party once in a while, such pictures do little to enhance your employability. Tighten your security settings so that these can only be viewed by your close ones.
Negative Comments About Your Previous Job, Employer Or Colleagues
It only reflects your bad attitude and makes you an undesirable candidate.
Sharing Controversial Opinions
Refrain from sharing any controversial opinions, no matter how passionate you are about a topic. You might become a victim of unnecessary prejudice.
Profanity
A person who curses on social media will swear in the workplace as well, and that’s really not the kind of impression you want to give your employer.
Illegal Content
It will not only disqualify you for the job but could also land you in jail.
Offensive Content
Your online activities are a reflection of who you are. If you post or share racist or sexist contents, that’s how you will be perceived.
Poor Grammar And Spelling
Every job description requires you to have good communication skills. Don’t make your imperfections evident to your employer.
In Closing
It’s evident that your online presence can make or break the chance of you landing your dream job. Follow these personal branding tips to set yourself apart from the rest of the crowd.
