Your quick guide to: Building an online presence

Your quick guide to: Building an online presence

It s highly likely in today s job market, that at some point in the hiring process, a potential employer will search for your online profiles. What they find can have a tremendous impact on whether they proceed with you further... or not. An employer s perception of your online activity is very subjective based on their own biases and preconceptions. While it s impossible to anticipate, or satisfy, every possible bias, it is good to be aware and thoughtful about what their perceptions might be, and manage your online activity with those considerations in mind. So, wherever you are in your career, and whatever career you re in, your online reputation is vital to your future. This guide provides advice on how to make your online self appear professional and impressive. 2

Google yourself The best way to assess your online presence is to run the test yourself and Google your name from time to time: have a look at what everyone else can see. A recent Execunet survey revealed that 77% of recruiters use search engines to source background information on a candidate. Whilst this can seem like a daunting thought, it actually provides the perfect opportunity for you to showcase your skills to a potential employer. 3

Have separate social media accounts If you are a social media enthusiast it may be worth having separate profiles, one personal and another for professional use. Separate your accounts by setting your Facebook profile to private. Keep this as your personal space; you can still use it to aid your job search by letting friends know that you re actively looking for work. Set your Twitter and LinkedIn accounts to public and use these for professional networking. Update your profiles regularly It s important to note that when trying to project a professional image, appropriate and up-to-date content is essential. Keep your language, tone and content professional at all times and always apply caution to what you post. When using social media people often forget how many people have access to their profiles. Don t post anything that you wouldn t want to share with an employer. It will be pointless if you have all those badges for people to connect with you but do not have your most up-to-date information in those profiles. It is of utmost benefit to you if recruiters can easily see your most recent job descriptions, achievements and other life changes to accurately assess your capabilities. Failing to provide the most current content on your profiles may signal to them that you re not interested enough to be headhunted. When you do update your profile, make sure that you do so for all other social networks so that you don t frustrate recruiters and potential employers with inconsistent updates. 4

Build connections Without followers, friends, connections and interactions, it will be impossible to build a solid online reputation. Above all, you need to get networking. Different platforms offer different routes to success: LinkedIn is undoubtedly your most important tool for online networking. In a matter of minutes, a profile on LinkedIn can expand your contact list exponentially. Recommendations on LinkedIn are very powerful too, as this written statement could provide valuable insight on your abilities. Also, if you want to be a freelancer or work flexibly, LinkedIn will be enormously helpful. Twitter gives you instant and easy access to almost any business you d like to work for. Within a few clicks you can be following them and even having a meaningful dialogue. Try to retweet where possible as this will show how engaged you are with them. The search function also allows you to find the people talking about the subjects you re interested in. Because Facebook is fundamentally built around friends, you ll use it in a different way but that s not to say it isn t useful. For example, if you re looking for a new job or are seeking out contract work, announce it on Facebook and you ll be surprised by how many people can help. Writing your own blog provides you with the perfect forum in which to demonstrate your knowledge and skills, as well as your interest in your industry. Pro-bloggers recommend writing at least one high-quality, engaging and relevant blog post a week of between 350 and 1000 words. In order to appeal to your audience s interests, focus on writing topical content around the latest news stories and issues facing your industry. A useful thing to know is that when you follow employers on social media, you can gain real-time information on their latest job opportunities and any career-related events. 5

Be remarkable and relevant To build a reputation online you need to be active, and you have to regularly engage with others either by creating and sharing content or communicating directly. You ll also know from experience how saturated your news feed can become with content that s neither remarkable nor relevant to you. But the content that stands out the content that you or your peers share usually manages to be both. It sparks interest and adds value which are both precious commodities in a crowded environment. Every time you create or share something, run it through the remarkable and relevant test, and you ll quickly build a strong reputation. Be disciplined It doesn t matter how good your blog or Twitter feed is, if you post every day and then stop suddenly for a month, you ll lose interest. Content on the internet has an extremely short shelf-life, and users can be very impatient. Be disciplined and post regularly. Assess what works best (how regularly, what time of day etc.) and stick to a plan. Conversely, posting too much can irritate followers and connections too as you could come across as spammy, so make sure you find a balance. 6

Create and join groups Success online is about being proactive and not reactive. On social media platforms like LinkedIn, you ll be able to find and connect with likeminded people by joining groups relevant to your interests or career. Contribute content to group debates, and better still, create your own if you notice a potential theme that your peers may be interested in. By creating a successful group that others choose to join, you ll become a trusted expert within your specialist area. Using social media in this way will not only increase your knowledge, but will also show future employers that you take an active interest in news relating to what you do. This will not only wow a potential employer, but will also prove your dedication to your career which will in turn make you a much more interesting candidate. 7

Ultimately, an online presence can boost your job search Looking for a new job can be scary, the competition for each vacancy is high and standing out from the crowd can be a challenge. However, with the right attitude and advice, looking for a new role can actually be an enjoyable experience. The main thing to remember when looking for a new role, is that you are selling yourself. The fact that you are making an effort to involve yourself directly in the industry will impress potential employers and prove that you are dedicated to and passionate about your career. 8

Need Help? For personal advice on how to maximise your online presence, speak to your Guidant Group consultant today. Work with Guidant Group, and we ll support and prepare you throughout your career journey with us, as part of our service. Guidant Group is an international managed services and outsourcing company that brings simplicity to complex recruitment processes. Find out more about how we can help you with the next step in your career by visiting our website www.guidantgroup.com/en-gb E: enquiries@guidantgroup.com T: 020 3096 4450 W: www.guidantgroup.com/en-gb 9