In a tight job market, you need every advantage you can get. You must find a way to separate yourself from your job-seeking colleagues.
The more active you are online, whether it’s social media, blogging, or simply leaving comments on other sites, the more information potential employers can find about you. By putting together various pieces of the puzzle, hiring managers can paint a pretty accurate picture of you.
Your online reputation will have a major impact on your chances of getting called for an interview. You need to actively manage the information available online about you.
Listed below are 10 ways you can improve your digital reputation before you start your job search.
Search online for your name, and you’ll see the information about you that a potential employer might find. Google Alerts can be useful in staying on top of what is associated with your name online.
Hiring managers are likely to go to LinkedIn first, so make sure your profile there is complete and accurate. Don’t exaggerate when describing your experience or your abilities.
Change the settings on your social media pages to make them private. Check the settings often, as social media sites sometimes make privacy changes of which you’re unaware.
Change your profile picture to one that is recent and appropriate. Consider hiring a professional photographer to take several photos of you. You will be able to use these photos for multiple online profiles.
Don’t give away too much personal information in your profile description. Even details like marital status, political views, and feelings about national issues may prevent you from getting an interview.
Review all your photos and status updates and remove any that are unsuitable. Don’t use foul or abusive language. Ever.
If you have a blog, review your past posts there as well to make sure they are appropriate and professional.
Make sure you don’t have any outbursts about your job, your boss, or your coworkers online. You don’t want to be viewed as a disgruntled employee.
Ask a friend or family member to search for your name and see what they come up with. Then ask them to examine the search results in detail to see if you missed anything that could damage your reputation.
Un-tag yourself in questionable status updates and photos posted by your friends. Ask your friends to refrain from tagging you in the future.
What other tips do you have for fellow job seekers regarding how they can improve online reputations? Share your thoughts below!
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