CREATE AND PERFECT YOUR ONLINE PROFESSIONAL PROFILE
When it comes to finding a job, your online presence has never been so important. Employers are taking note of what you are doing online. They’re using social media, online talent communities, professional networking sites and applicant tracking systems to cast their net wider, speed up the process and make sure they get the right person at the right time. As the amount of data we put online increases, so the use of technology for recruitment will grow.
DEVELOP YOUR ONLINE RÉSUMÉ TO LAND YOUR DREAM JOB
Your online profile can make or break your chances of landing a new job, which is why you need to take control of it. In this Knowledge Guide we cover:
- Differentiating digital profile and resume
- What your digital presence says about you
- Creating a LinkedIn profile that gets attention
- The value of Talent Communities
- How to Network, Network, Network
If you don’t have one, it’s time to create an online profile
There’s no getting away from it, you need a digital presence in today’s jobs market, because you can guarantee the people you’re competing against will have one. It gives employers access to a wealth of information that a resume doesn’t offer – often they will get in touch with someone on LinkedIn before a position is advertised or an application made. Good recruiters will look for you online and if they don’t find you they’ll think you’re not digitally savvy or, worse, you have something to hide.
Make your online profile different from your resume
There’s still a place for the trusty resume, but it should complement rather than copy your online profile because:
- You only have one version of your professional online profile which is why it is usually more detailed and covers all aspects of your career. A resume should be customised to the role you are applying for.
- Your online profile connects and engages you with like-minded professionals, if you’re lucky it might lead to a job. But the sole purpose of your resume is to secure an interview, in many cases an employer will look at your online profile to find out more about you after reading your resume.
Think about what your digital presence says about you
Consider yourself as a brand. If you Google yourself does what appears tell a positive story about you? Try it and find out if the attributes, key skills and values you would like to be associated with are reflected online.
On the other hand is there anything that might put off a prospective employer? This is a good time to look at your social media profiles on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram and change the privacy settings so that potential employers can’t see them – alternatively some people keep public and private accounts – or remove anything that might create a bad impression.
When a recruiter finds your profile online, the information they come across should entice them to keep looking. Not to switch off.
PERFECT YOUR LINKEDIN PAGE
LinkedIn isn’t just a place to store your resume. It is the world’s most prominent online networking space with around 500 million users where you can catch the eye of employers, as well as search for jobs. So it goes without saying you need a profile and you need it to stand out. Here are a few tips:
Make sure details and dates on your resume align with your Linkedin profile. As we’ve mentioned, they have different purposes but will contain some of the same information, recruiters will notice if that information isn’t consistent and wonder why.
Use keywords. Recruiters will be using them when searching the internet for talent. If, for example, a sales manager doesn’t mention territory analysis, business development, relationship management and sales planning in their profile they are less likely to be found. As a minimum you should include your industry, location, company names and specialist skills as much as possible in headlines, job titles, profile summaries and descriptions of your key experience.
Work on your headline. If a recruiter finds your LinkedIn profile using Google the first thing they’ll see is its headline. And first impressions count. Rather than simply using your job title try writing a short description that entices the reader to find out more about you.
Say cheese. The success of Instagram proves how much humans love a picture and LinkedIn studies have found that, in search results, profiles with a photo are clicked on 30% more than those without. That’s why we suggest including a corporate headshot on your page. Ideally get a professional to take it.
Curate with care. Think through what you include in your profile. Although it can feature videos, presentations, portfolios and other documents, always ask yourself if what you are sharing is relevant and what kind of impression it will create, before posting.
Complete your profile. LinkedIn research has found that a complete profile appears on average 40 more times in search results than an incomplete profile, and higher up the page too. It’s important you demonstrate who you are and everything you have to offer. It’s also worth noting that one of the pre-requisites for a complete profile is to have at least 50 contacts. And the more contacts you have, the more often you’ll appear in search results as a second or third degree connection.
JOIN A TALENT COMMUNITY
Online talent communities give pre-qualified individuals a chance to engage with a potential employer on social media, company websites and industry forums. It’s a mutually beneficial relationship: industry specific topics and information can be discussed securely and employers can offer a positive experience to candidates, including a faster recruitment process. Members are encouraged to be active because they know employers will look on them favourably when new opportunities come up.
Businesses are beginning to realise the benefits of cultivating a pool of people eager to work for them, rather than reactively advertising when there are positions to fill. That’s why they’re investing time and money in creating talent communities. You should look for any associated with companies you want to work for and sectors you want to work in.
If you can’t find one for the company you’re interested in, ask their social media accounts to point you in the right direction.
NETWORK, NETWORK, NETWORK
Much of what we’ve talked about comes down to expanding your networks, which is an age-old art, but one that has been revolutionised by the internet. Here’s how to give your networking a digital turbo-boost:
- Contribute to industry groups. Don’t just join talent communities, actively engage with them to put yourself at the front of employers’ minds.
- Go offline. Pretend it’s 1995, get out there and physically meet people at industry events. A face-to-face meeting is still the best way to make yourself known. Follow up by connecting online.
- Share events. If you’re attending or hosting an event, list it on LinkedIn and post it on other social media so that your network can share it with their networks and arrange to meet you there. For extra points, post social media updates about important information and discussion topics during the event.
- Be nosy. Look up the profiles of other people in the industry and see if they’re doing anything you’re not. On LinkedIn this is a two-way street – people you look at are likely to look at you back (if you have a premium account you can see everyone who has viewed your profile).
- Share content. Either write and publish your own work or share interesting and relevant content so that you’re always in people’s feeds.
- Gather recommendations. Ask former colleagues and managers to add a recommendation to you profile. Go for quality – seniors managers who know you well – over quantity.
We hope you’ve found this guide useful. If you follow the advice you might find a job comes to you before it is advertised publically. Just remember to think before you post and invest some time in controlling your personal brand. Your next boss could be watching. Good luck!
FIVE POINTS TO REMEMBER:
- Google yourself and consider your personal brand
- Edit privacy and security settings on social media
- Create or improve your LinkedIn profile
- Expand your professional networks
- Think before you post
