Social media channels and professional networking platforms are becoming critically important in the job-hunting process. In fact, the relative strength or weakness of an online identity can make or break a job search. In a highly competitive jobs market, an indiscreet, unprofessional online presence may convince a hiring manager to toss your resume in the trash. Conversely, a well thought out, strategic use of social media to create a professional online brand could send your resume to the top of the pile. Potential employers and recruiters are not only screening applicants by investigating online identities, they are also utilizing social media channels to post jobs, recruit and hire. If you are not strategically plugged in and LinkedIn: expect to be left out and Linked-out.
Use Attraction Based Marketing for BrandBuilding
The tools and the nomenclature may have changed, but the basic tenets of personal brand building and networking have remained constant. Dale Carnegie, author of the iconic self-help tome, “How to Win Friends and Influence People,” knew the importance of building a solid reputation and developing “soft” people skills. “There are four ways, and only four ways, in which we have contact with the world. We are evaluated and classified by these four contacts: what we do, how we look, what we say, and how we say it,” said Carnegie.
In the 21st century, job seekers are connecting to the world through the social media channels of Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and others. Professional networking sites, including LinkedIn and Xing, provide opportunities to engage, impress and scout out employment opportunities. Building a personal brand is simply taking charge of what you do, how you look, what you say and how you say it, online. Attraction based marketing leverages your carefully crafted online brand to bring employers and recruiters to you. Creating content, and positioning yourself as an expert in your field impresses and attracts recruiters.
Create Powerful Online Profiles and Bios
Taking the time and effort to create muscular, keyword rich profiles and bios for social networking sites is key. LinkedIn, a popular professional networking platform boasting 115.8 million members, is a great way to network, engage with industry professionals, keep up to date with industry trends and set up a professional online identity. Your LinkedIn profile is the first thing recruiters and hiring managers see, so make it shine. The same goes with your Twitter bio. The 140 character micro-blogging platform is widely used by companies, senior executives and recruiters. Before diving into the Twitter universe to make contacts and establish professional credibility, make sure your bio is carefully crafted and links to a personal-branding blog or your LinkedIn profile. You should devote the same care and attention to your online profiles, as you do a resume.
Be Proactive and Take Charge
It takes time and perseverance to develop a personal online brand using today’s social media tools. Every tweet, every Facebook posting, every LinkedIn query, blog postings and comments on professional forums should positively impact your personal brand. It’s up to you to be proactive and take charge of your online identity, your job search and career. Attraction based marketing and personal branding is about burnishing your professional online reputation and connections, as opposed to blatantly selling your skills. In this depressed economy, companies are becoming increasingly risk averse. Hiring managers want to feel confident that a candidate would provide a solid financial return on investment. Setting yourself apart from the pack as an expert, by creating a personal brand using social media channels, will set you on the path towards professional success.
