Your Online Profile

[Enda Goodwin]

Social media is a necessary part of building your brand, and the way you use it can make or break a job opportunity. Whether you are in a creative position that requires a personal website to showcase your work or primarily use social media for personal use, the presence you project online is directly correlated with your personal brand.
 

Start by Googling Yourself

The best way to get a clear picture of your digital footprint is through a self-search. What shows up in the search results? Is it consistent with the brand you are building for yourself?
 

Review Your Profiles and Settings

Just as you are researching industries and jobs, recruiters and hiring managers will be researching you, and that means checking out your profiles. First, evaluate them for yourself.  

LinkedIn® For job seekers, this is a must. Update your profile with a current photo, job responsibilities, and achievements. Start expanding your network within your organization by connecting with people you know or are familiar with. Post industry-specific content and engage in professional conversations to show enthusiasm and thought leadership. This is also a great place to include your newly developed professional branding statement. If you haven’t created a profile yet, find out how to create one by attending the LinkedIn webinars (3). 

 

• Facebook® - Make sure your profile picture is professional and current. Turn on privacy settings so that only friends can view your profile, and limit past posts if they were ever made public. Under Timeline and Tagging, disable the option for people to tag you in pictures and videos.
   
• Twitter® - By default, your Tweets are made public. Under Privacy and Safety, Protect Your Tweets will only show your Tweets to people who follow you.
   
• Instagram® - Take a look at your account and decide if you want it made public. If you’re in a creative position, for example, the images you post may support your brand. Control who sees what in your privacy settings, along with how and when you are tagged in others’ photos and videos.

 

What if you don’t like what you find?

If the results you find don’t show you in a positive light, do your best to mitigate it. Delete old photos, remove tags from pictures and videos your friends may have posted, and in general, tone down the social you, and pump up the professional you. Then do what you can to shift the search results: 
 

• Post positive questions or comments on industry forums 
• Follow industry “gurus” on Twitter and re-tweet their posts 
• Update your LinkedIn account – if you don’t have one, create one 
• Ask colleagues, friends, and family members to take certain pictures or posts down. They should understand why that’s important during your job search 
• Ask for a LinkedIn referral 
• Start a simple blog – there are many free platforms out there – and write your positive thoughts on an issue or an industry you are targeting. 

 

Doing these things will eventually turn that Google search around, moving the newer, more positive results to the top of the search result.
 

The Implications of Not Being Found at All

While a negative online presence is detrimental in a job search, having no online presence at all can also work against you. While Google is a good starting point for most of us to find someone, for a recruiter, it’s LinkedIn. And if you’re not there, the recruiter will likely move on to other candidates. At a minimum, you need to have a LinkedIn profile when looking for a job. We can help getting started, and there is also a webinar that’s available. 

Social media is great way to establish and reinforce your brand. Make it work for you, not against you. You are in charge of your story!