Let’s face it: Your online image is quickly becoming your first impression to potential employers and clients. Just about everyone jumps on Google when they’re considering a professional relationship to see what dirt they can dig up. (See: How to Survive Being Googled by Potential Employers.)
Some people spend lots of time and effort developing a well-rounded personal brand that shows beautifully in online search results and helps establish them as a leader in their industry. That’s great, but not everyone is ready to do so much just yet.
So, until you’re ready for your big launch, let’s talk about how you can put a quick polish on your social media accounts and increase your chances of “looking the part” — for now.
1. Get a Professional Photo Taken, and Use It Wisely
I can’t emphasize enough how much a good photo will help you professionally. This isn’t meant to be a glamor shot, and it should definitely be more than a snapshot of you on the beach (unless you’re a professional surfer looking for a sponsor).
A consistent and professional photo can help your online image in a few ways. First, it can clear up any chances of mistaken identity if a Google search produces mixed results with a similarly named, but inappropriately behaving, individual. And second, a professional photo gives the impression of, “Hey, I’m ready for big things.” Kind of like the advice “dress for the position you want, not the position you have.”
Remember, only use your photo and real name on things you truly want to associate with yourself, and be mindful of how that could potentially affect you professionally.
Where to use the photo:
- Your LinkedIn account
- Your Twitter profile
- Your avatar for commenting on blogs
- Your Google+ account
- Your email account (not in your signature, but some accounts, like Gmail, allow you to associate a photo with your contact information)
It’s probably a little awkward to use your professional photo for strictly personal accounts like Facebook, but you’ll still want to make sure your cover photo and profile image are boss-proof.
2. Add Industry Keywords to Your LinkedIn Account
If you don’t have a LinkedIn account, get one set up. Although I don’t recommend everyone rush out and sign up for every social media account available, LinkedIn is a must for job seekers. (Tweet this thought.) For help setting up your account, check out my guide Getting Started on LinkedIn, The Nitty Gritty Details – Part 1: Join.
Once you have an account set up, make the most of it by making sure to include mentions in your profile of important keywords from your line of work. If a company you’ve applied to comes across your LinkedIn page, it will remind them of your qualifications for the position — but, more importantly, keywords done well can help you get found by recruiters in your industry.
Where to include keywords on your LinkedIn profile:
- Professional headline
- Current and past titles
- Current and past position descriptions
- Summary
- Interests
- Experience
- Skills
Be mindful not to just add keywords for the sake of adding them; make sure they make sense in your usage and that they’re truly an accurate representation of your professional capabilities.
3. Strategically Loosen Your Privacy Settings
We’ve all been warned to keep a tight rein on our privacy settings for personal social media accounts, but letting a few posts “slip” now and then could prove beneficial for you.
Employers and clients don’t need to (and probably shouldn’t) see your entire Facebook history, but giving them a select snapshot into your world can help show your character and personality enough to let them know if you’re the kind of person they want to work with. Anything professional or work-related also helps to build the appearance that you’re active and interested in your field, and all employers want to see passion and dedication for an industry from potential hires.
Need help figuring out how to change your privacy settings for individual Facebook posts? Check out this part of the Facebook help section.
What you might want to make public:
- Mentions of your professional accomplishments
- Photos of you participating in wholesome community or philanthropic activities
- Links to news articles about your industry
- Your participation in professional associations or industry-related groups
4. Connect and Promote
By all means, quality is better than quantity when it comes to your social media connections. So, after you ditch the people you never wanted to say “yes” to in the first place, move on to building a stronger network.
Look for the movers and shakers in your industry and reach out to connect — it’s easier than you might think. By aligning yourself with key people in your industry, you’re making a statement that you not only know what’s going on, but you’re part of it.
Bonus: you’ll probably learn some great things to better prepare you for the interview you’re about to land!
Who you should connect with, or at least follow:
- Authors in your industry
- Policy/decision-makers in your industry
- Up and coming individuals or trendsetters in your industry
- Your direct competition (people and businesses)
5. Stay Active and Accurate
Last, but not least, once you set up a social media account, keep it current or delete it.
If you have an account, people are going to assume it’s a legitimate way of contacting you. And if they reach out to you via your account and get no response, it’s going to leave a bad impression. Remember, you don’t have to juggle 12 social media accounts just because everyone else does. Commit to the ones you find easy to use that make the most sense for your line of work.
Performing a regular Google search on yourself can keep you aware of what’s out there about you and what you need to update or ditch. At least once a year, do a little spying on yourself.
What to make sure is current:
- Your name
- Your location
- Your employer
- Your email
How are you going to optimize your social media profiles for your own job hunt?
Image: Photobucket
