Your Online Profile Reveals More about You Than You Think
No doubt you have heard the term “personal branding”. Once upon a time only companies had to worry about their brands. Now individuals do as well, especially individuals who are actively seeking new job opportunities do too.
Your personal brand is the image you portray to the world. It encompasses how you want to be seen, and if you are actively looking for a job, you want to be seen as a professional. If you maintain any type of social media profile, you want to pay particular attention to what it conveys to potential employees.
They do look.
Here are some common mistakes that people have made, that you should avoid.
Inappropriate profile photo
Duck lips, couple photos, cropped group photo, ancient photo, your pet, party pics….they are all hugely inappropriate for social media…..even your personal social media page. By putting up a photo of your sweet dog, you may think that you are portraying that you are sweet and empathetic. However, what others are seeing is an unhealthy attachment to your pet. In many cases, you would be surprised how your photo is being perceived. If you would like to find out, check out this great infographic.
Typos, Misspellings, Oh, my…..
Typos scream to any potential employer that you do not pay attention to detail. Sloppiness is the ultimate sin. You will not get a second chance. Proofread your profile carefully to make sure that it is not misrepresenting you.
Not paying attention to site-specific etiquette
Before participating on any social media site, you should find out what is considered proper behavior for that site. There should be no party pics posted on LinkedIn, nor should you share information related to your personal hobbies. Do not try to promote your newest side business on Facebook. Finally, regardless of the site, do not share borderline pornographic photos (and, yes, this does include the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit edition) or preach your religious views. It is not appreciated.
The no-no of a shell profile
If you do not have a profile picture or updates or followers, you have probably one of the worst social media profiles out there. Social media is not like the Field of Dreams….just because you build it does not mean that anyone will come. It is true that you have to start somewhere, and most people will want to connect with you. You have to work to connect with others. Get involved in different social media sites, join groups, and look for the online profiles of those people you know in the “physical world”.
At Snelling, we understand how your social media profile can make or break your job hunt. Visit one of our local offices today to learn how to improve your online profile. Or, if you would like, visit the social media section of our Candidate Resource Hub to learn how to rock your social media profile!
