More than ever the internet is being used as a point of reference and research for recruiters. A staggering 92 percent of employers/recruiters use or plan to use the internet and more specifically social media sites when researching potential job candidates. LinkedIn is the industry favourite with 94 percent of recruiters using it. Potential employers won’t just stop there they will also scour Facebook, Twitter, Google+ in attempt to scrape as much relevant information as possible.
They are looking for any red flags such as incriminating photos and patterns of inconsiderate and irresponsible use, but let’s face it if you are guilty of this sort of immature behaviour and better yet you think it’s a good idea to share it every man and his do on the internet your probably not worth considering for that next big opportunity because quite frankly you’re not ready.
What your next employer will be looking for is someone who stands out from the crowd, someone who takes there personal brand and image seriously. In today’s connected world, the most compelling job candidates are often those with a robust online footprint that shows their expertise, experience and engagement within their chosen industry whilst showing what type of worker they’re likely to be.
Use these three steps as your guide to improve your reputation and your career prospects;
1: Get up to date
It’s a worthwhile exercise to go through all your existing online profiles and bring them up to date, whether that’s with new images or content if you have taken the time to create them they should be maintained, an out of date profile looks lazy. Its also a sound idea to go through all your historical pictures and posts and ask yourself is this something you want to be connected with, it only takes 1 second to press the delete button.
- Get Active
What is your area of expertise? What topics do you want to be associated with? When someone searches for you online what do you want them to see? By creating unique and relevant content and by using the correct vehicles you can curate your own search results. It takes 5 minutes to create a blog such as this one which gives you the opportunity to showcase your knowledge and talent. Think of page 1 of your search results as your CV, but you need to earn than real estate by keeping your blog, social media profiles and LinkedIn in up to date with quality and informative content.
- Connect
So many new positions are now filled before even being posted online. They’re being filled through networking and todays’ networking is happening online. Online networking gives you the opportunity to put your personal brand on display but remember your network is only as good as the people in it. Ensure yours is full of relevant professionals who add value. If you’re starting from scratch, start by inviting your close friends and co-workers to join your network. Then look over their networks to see if you might benefit from knowing the people they know.
It may be tempting to neglect your online network once you have found a new job, but it pays dividends to nurture it. You never know what is around the corner and in challenging economic times, one can never be sure.
Online networks aren’t just job search tools. They act as an invaluable source of information, industry trends and career advice. Not to mention you will be better informed compared to the competition for all up and coming events and opportunities around your chosen industry.
For further information how we can help you get the online profile your career needs contact us or call us on 0800 131 0700 for a confidential consultation.