Business & Tech

Professionalizing Your Online Presence

Tips on how to maximize your job search efforts by professionalizing your online presence.

"Web 2.0" technologies, such as Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn, are changing the approach to the traditional job search. Long gone are the days where job searches and recruiting efforts were limited to a paper resume. In today's technology filled world, the job search is all about your "online presence."

Professionalizing your online presence is key in making yourself appealing to job recruiters. Social networking websites are now a vital component in helping to "brand and professionalize your image."

A survey conducted by CareerBuilder.com found that "45% of employers use social networking sites to research job candidates." Employers are turning to social networking sites more than ever to aid in their recruiting efforts.

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However, cleaning up your profile and deleting unwanted pictures, quotes or hobbies is only the first step in professionalizing your online presence.

To truly make yourself appealing to job recruiters, branding your profile to match your skill set is key. For example, if you were seeking out a job in marketing, adding past projects that you successfully completed to your Facebook and LinkedIn profiles would be a great way to easily show off your work to scouting recruiters.

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Here are some more examples of ways to professionalize your online profile using the marketing career example:

  • Under "interests" on Facebook, list out Marketing, Business, Social Media, and Creativity. Using those keywords will help recruiters connect to you and identify you as a possible candidate.  Also, add in some of your personal interests  if appropriate such as working out, skiing, etc. Employers like to see that you have interests outside the office.
  • Make sure your LinkedIn profile is filled out to capacity meaning that all of your education, recommendations from past employers, awards and power point presentations are listed. LinkedIn's sole purpose is to show off your career achievements. Displaying a recent presentation that you created or were videotaped giving, allows employers a real look at what you can offer a particular company. 
  • If you haven't already, sign-up for a Twitter account. Use Twitter as your own "mini LinkedIn profile. Tweet about recent business news, established marketing personalities and your own thoughts on the market. 
  • Start a blog. Starting your own blog and sharing your personal thoughts on the business market will help to build up a following. It will also add extra personality to your online profiles. Link your blog to your Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter accounts.

These tips can be applied to any career and are not limited to just marketing. Whether you are looking for a new job in finance, teaching, construction or in the medical field, using these helpful tips will put you ahead of the competition.

Today, every action that is taken on the world wide web is filed away into your permanent online record. Therefore, a good plan of action is to constantly feed your online profiles with positive images, quotes, and employment history.


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