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Eight Steps To Uniquely Craft Your Social Media Profile and Build Your Personal Brand

Eight Steps To Uniquely Craft Your Social Media Profile and Build Your Personal Brand

In these unprecedented times and record unemployment numbers continually on the rise, social media matters more than ever when it comes to an effective job search. Keep reading to find out how you can improve your online presence with these recruiter-approved updates.

Social media has proven over the past decade to have strategic influence beyond tweeting at celebrities and looking at photos of old classmates or colleagues. Nowadays, it can be a powerful self-promotional tool that should be properly utilized.

The bottom line is anything you can to make the online version of yourself more attractive to potential employers is going to benefit you in the end. These are the nine bullet points that candidates like yourself can do to optimize your social media presence.

1. Make sure you have a complete LinkedIn profile 

Make sure your online career networking profile is updated with your complete employment history, education, as well as any skills related to your job. Imagine that you’re in the shoes of a hiring manager or recruiter so you want to make sure you’re providing them with the most current and relevant information. Also ensure that you fill in any gaps based on LinkedIn’s recommendations so that there is no empty space.

2. Keeping The Conversation Professionally Focused

If you have anything that is more casual in nature photo wise displayed on your LinkedIn profile, make sure to omit those as soon as possible. Since nothing is sacred on the Internet, it would be a shame to miss out on a potential job opportunity because of some not so flattering photography from your college days. Anything personal in nature is best kept offline…or at least under family and friends-only settings.

3. Join Any Career Relevant Groups

Social media is full of career oriented networking groups that can help you connect with like minded job seekers and offer industry-specific insights. I recommend that you focus on groups relevant to your career interests and make it your goal every week to participate in those specific groups that relate to your field of interest or industry.

4. Highlighting Your Unique Skills & Achievements

In terms of gearing the hiring manager or recruiter to take a closer look at your career history, be thoughtful about what you choose to highlight. Gear the conversation towards specific goals you’ve met, and back up those claims with percentages if possible. For example: “Consistently delivered a target of $X in additional revenue while cutting costs by X%.”

5. Update Your Profile Regularly!

Don't create a basic version of your profile and let it sit there year after year. It’s imperative that you make the effort in order to remain active on all social media sites. Did you land a new position recently? Post an update! Move up within the ranks at your current company? Update your title. If you’re a Director of Customer Service, you don’t want a profile that says you still work the front desk.

6. Keeping Your LinkedIn Connections Career-Oriented

Receiving requests to connect from college roommates and people you don’t remember from high school is to be expected on social media, but you want to ensure that the majority of people in your career circles are indeed colleagues to a certain extent. This gives potential employers the overall  impression that you’re aware and tuned in to your particular field. It is also helpful when applying for a job where you already have connections with that company specifically.

7. Providing Your Contact Email Address

If a hiring manager or recruiter comes across your profile and wants to get in touch with you about a potential job opportunity, can they easily find your email address in a record amount of time? Make sure it’s listed in the contact info section because the last thing you want is to be skipped over because of no alternative way to reach you outside of your profile.

8. Upload A Professional Headshot

A headshot is important when it comes to creating a unique and robust LinkedIn profile. Even if it costs you a little extra, it could be the key to getting that next InMail for the job of your dreams. It will pay off in the end to look like you are already a part of the company you’re applying to work for.