Managing your internet presence will increase career opportunities. Your internet presence is an indispensable part of your 21st-century job search.
Not only should you be actively reaching out to recruiters and hiring authorities, but you should also be leveraging your efforts with direct networking (through LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, etc.) and a strong internet presence. This combination creates an effective job search strategy that will increase your exposure to more opportunities.
If you have a website, blog, Facebook profile, or other web presence, there are two things to examine:
1. Can people find you?
2. When they do, what will they find?
Do you worry about what people might find or not find if they search Google? Here are some steps to ensure you sleep better at night and increase career opportunities.
Promoting yourself on the internet can be challenging. You want to be searchable, in that if someone types in your name to Google, you want to be found. In this day in age, it can be detrimental if nothing exists in your name. On the other hand, you don’t want the information that pops up in your search to be unprofessional.
The focus here is keeping your “business presence” what you intend it to be. Someday, you will probably need to rely on it for future employment. Your internet presence is your personal brand.
When potential employers and clients Google you, what they find should encompass your brand – meaning that they should be able to find everything related to your professional endeavors.
Keywords Aren’t Only for Resumes.
Keywords are not just for resumes. If you have written articles, books, or presented your artwork or given presentations, all of these belong in categories with keywords associated with them. This will ensure that they will be searchable under your name, adding to your professional internet presence.
Screen icons should represent you and your skills, not necessarily be cute and fuzzy. A screen name can make or break you. Can others take you seriously with your screen name?
Using Facebook to sharing with family and friends can be fun. Facebook for business should be representative of your skills and talents. Taglines are similar to screen names. Choose taglines to represent you and your work- in as few words as possible as a tagline is meant to be catchy, so that means short and to-the-point.
Samples
Work samples show variety, but you should be cognizant of what samples you show. If you show personal or proprietary information on the web, you may be held liable.
Potential clients may hesitate to retain your services for fear the work you completed on their behalf will be displayed to the public.
Develop sensitivity towards others’ feelings. Always ask clients before posting material to the web. Don’t post everything you’ve ever done. When your portfolio list gets too long, it’s a good idea to post a listing of the items (if needed), not the entire work.
When you can refer everyone from your parents and spouse to potential employers or employees to your website or blog, you can safely bet your web presence is heading in the right direction. You can sleep easier knowing your future employer won’t find that questionable whatever-it-is you hope they won’t see.
Do you have any other online tips for job seekers? Comment and share below! Be sure to reach out to Candace if you need help in any aspect of your job search.