One of the best ways to position yourself as a stand out candidate is to build a professional brand online. As many of you know, it is becoming increasingly common for recruiters and hiring managers to check social media profiles as part of the pre-screening process, so it is imperative as a job seeker or working professional that you have a positive online identity. Detailed below are some of the tips and strategies that you can utilize to build and protect your professional brand.
Google yourself
The first step that you should take to evaluate what employers will find when they search for you is to simply Google your name. Run your name through the various popular search engines to determine how much information you can find on yourself and the substance of what is available. If you are unable to find anything then it may be time to consider creating an online brand; conversely, if what you find contradicts a positive professional image, it may be time to consider an overhaul of your online accounts.
Evaluate your current social media presence
Your social media presence is perhaps one of the most effective ways for employers to gain insight into who you are as a person. But, this can be good or bad depending on how much of your information is public and what your social media profiles truly say about you. Simply put, if you have a lot of content within your profiles that would not be appropriate for an employer to see, either make everything private or clean up your profile to reflect a more professional image. There’s nothing wrong with using the internet for entertainment, but just be mindful of how much personal information is available for public consumption because employers are paying attention.
Establish an online presence
If you do not have social media profiles on Twitter, Facebook, or LinkedIn to help build and manage your professional network, it may be time to consider creating them. Many recruiters, hiring managers, and employers are utilizing the internet to both search for candidates and connect with them via various online communities. So, it would be wise to set up a few accounts that you can use to network with other professionals and employers. As we all know, your network can play a major role in helping you find a position in today’s market. So, utilize the resources that are available online to help establish an online identity and connect with people in your field or industry.
Use Your Real Name
Another important aspect of building a professional brand is consistency. It would be completely counter-productive to spend time trying to create and build a brand to help you stand out from the crowd if employers cannot easily find you. Using your real name across all of your profiles will help to ensure that your information is found when searched, so build a presence using your true identity.
Your online presence is very important and can ultimately shape the way that employers see you. So, take the necessary steps to ensure that you present yourself as the complete package and don’t take the chance of having your online presence contradict your professional image.