Everything you say either helps your brand or hurts it. When you post comments or thoughts on various social networking sites your connections get an idea of who you are. Through such communication people form an opinion about you and make a mental decision whether they want to further engage with you or distance themselves.
Your exposure doesn’t simply end with your approved connections. The internet is fair game. Google your name to see what comes up. There may be more out there than you think!
About 2 in 5 employers look candidates up online before they make a decision about hiring them. Some employers even spend time reading content to observe how often candidates post so they can get learn more about their personality or character. Too many opinionated posts can be a negative. A hiring manager may assume you are easily distracted. Not enough posts could mean you are not tech-savvy enough (depending on the position you are needed for).
If you have any desire to further your career, you will need to be strategic about your online presence.
The best way to reinvent yourself and move full force towards building your brand is to attract the right audience. The only way to get people to take interest in what you’re doing is to get their attention by finding ways to connect with them personally. A great way to connect with like-minded professionals is to join groups within your industry on social media platforms such as LinkedIn. On other social sites like Twitter you’ll find chat sessions hosted daily or weekly by organizations looking to boost engagement with followers. Take advantage of these opportunities to engage with other professionals by sharing your thoughts and opinions as well.
Not sure where to start? Hire a professional to help you.
In the mean time, I encourage you to take these small steps in changing your image online:
Tip 1: Stay positive when you share your thoughts. Like the saying goes, if you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all!
Tip 2: Remove/un-tag any unfavorable pictures of you that may be on the internet. The last thing you want a prospective employer to see is you downing drinks at a frat party.
Tip 3: Update your professional profile/web page at least once a month, even if it is an updated picture or a positive comment.
Tip 4: Consistency is key. Commit to regularly posting about industry hot topics and sharing articles posted by top influencers.
Tip 5: Revamp your LinkedIn profile to highlight your strengths and abilities; ensure your bio and experience is consistent on all social media platforms.
These tips should help you get on track and ensure you have a professional appearance online and boost your confidence in person.
Need help with your LinkedIn profile or bio? Hire a professional today!
Mary V. Davids is Principal Consultant at D&M Consulting Services, LLC., and creator of the Honest Model™. Mary has over a decade of experience in cultivating employee engagement, enhancing workplace performance, career coaching, leadership coaching and training & development. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Management and a Master’s Degree in Human Resource Management. To connect with Mary, you can follow her on twitter @MVDavids or you can email her at maryd@honestleadership.org