Nearly 70% of employers use social media to research potential candidates. Is your digital presence ready?
Over the next few weeks on the blog, we’re going to be digging into ways to advance your career while you’re unemployed. While being unemployed can be a challenge, you don’t have to let it stall your career progress. This week, we’re taking a closer look into your digital persona: essentially your professional brand that you showcase online to the world.
Pause for a second and think about all the places you have an online presence—all the social media accounts, any emails, or messages you’ve sent. These could all be used by a potential employer to learn more about you than what you show on your resume.
So, let’s make that work for you.
Personal or Professional Brand
The way you present yourself online can help potential employers learn more about you. You can leverage online platforms to showcase your skills and accomplishments or share relevant industry content. You can also connect with other professionals in your field—essentially, build your brand.
Highlight your strengths and achievements to stand out against other candidates and use this as a chance to show some of your own personality (ex. are you more stoic or empathetic? No nonsense or playful?)
The first word in the phrase, “personal brand” is “personal.” Now add an “ity” to it, drop the “brand” and that’s what it really means. That’s the secret.
Adam Ritchie
Social Media Profiles
If you are the type who likes to keep their personal life separate from their professional life, be sure you have the settings on your social profiles to limit the amount of access a random person would have access to. However, remember that even an image can shape the first impression, so be sure to choose profile pictures that are appropriate for a work enviornment.
When it comes to professional networking, LinkedIn is key. A well-developed LinkedIn page will lend credibility to your brand development and can elevate you as a respected and trusted leader in your field.
- Profile Picture: Be sure to use a profile picture that reflects your industry and conveys a positive image. You can look up a variety of sample images online (check out our Pinterest board for some inspiration!)
- Headline: Create a concise and engaging summary that highlights your key skills, accomplishments, and career goals. Use keywords relevant to your industry—remember, this may be all some recruiters will see as they are skimming search results. Show your personality while maintaining an appropriate professional tone.
- Background Image: Don’t neglect this space! This gives you the ability to add a little more character to your profile. You can highlight something from your specific field, something meaningful to you, or a key design of yours. If you need some creative help, look to some online graphic design tools to help you in the process.
- Experience and Education: Provide comprehensive information about your past work experience, including job titles, responsibilities, and notable achievements. Don’t forget Include your educational background, certifications, and courses to demonstrate your qualifications.
- Recommendations: Utilize this section to lend credibility to your work as well as showcase your soft skills that are harder to document in job descriptions—ask former supervisors and coworkers to provide recommendations for you. You can write one in return, too.
- Engagement and Networking: Engage with others by commenting on and sharing relevant industry posts. Join LinkedIn groups and participate in discussions to expand your network. Connect with professionals in your field and personalize connection requests to increase acceptance rates.
- Publications and Projects: Showcase any publications, articles, or projects you have contributed to or completed. Link to external websites or add relevant media files such as presentations or projects to showcase your work.
For the Creatives
For those in a creative filed, having a personal website or blog can offer valuable insights into your professional expertise and interests. A well-maintained website serves as a portfolio showcasing your work, achievements, and industry thought leadership. If you’re unemployed, you can use the downtime to generate new content as well. If you don’t have enough content for a website, perhaps create a look-book that can be added as a PDF to other social media channels.
Resumes
While this should go without saying, keeping your resume up to date is essential. Even if you’re actively employed, you never know when a great opportunity may come along, and it’s always best to be prepared.
The challenge of life I have found, is to build a resume that doesn’t simply tell a story about what you want to be, but it’s a story about who you want to be.
Oprah Winfrey
Your resume is going to be one of the first communications you have with a potential employer. Beyond that, it’s an introduction to you as a person. You’ll want to ensure you showcase the skills and key attributes that will highlight why you are an ideal candidate for the position. Make sure you’re putting the best impression forward and double check spelling, verb tense, and consistent sentence structure.
If you’re stuck on bullet point descriptions, don’t hesitate to leverage AI platforms to help generate some powerful descriptions. Just be sure to double check what they generate is accurate to your background and skillset.
If you are planning to use a cover letter, be mindful of length and content. Don’t just rehash your resume, but use it as an opportunity to show your suitability to the role. Ensure the tone matches your resume and overall “brand” to keep a cohesive theme.
Remember, each social media platform requires a slightly different approach and all need to be maintained. Prioritize the ones most relevant to your industry and allocate time regularly to monitor and shape your professional digital persona accordingly.