When applying for jobs, your personal brand is an extremely important tool. Social media profiles are a bread and butter part of most people’s lives these days, and this is blurring the lines between the personal and professional you. We all work hard to present ourselves as professional when applying for jobs and in how we conduct ourselves in our day-to-day lives, but candidates are letting down their personal brand when it comes to their online identities. So here, the Park team provide some top tips on managing your personal brand online.
Do Google ‘your name’
Google is often described as the new CV. So, anyone that wants to know more about you is highly likely to ask Google about you. The results of this Google search are one of many things that define your personal brand and what others can find by Googling your name can help or hurt your educational and professional ambitions. Have a go; you may be surprised by what you find! If anything appears in the search listings which doesn’t pass the Mum test, remove it or have it removed by the poster.
Do lock-down your personal Facebook account
Lock down your personal Facebook account so only your friends can see your posts. Bear in mind though, whilst your personal account might have strict privacy settings, your friends accounts may not so monitor any social shares they tag you in.
Don’t social share drunken Tweets
Step away from the smart phone before it makes you look dumb. Creativity and wit while under the influence may not look as great by morning when early rising current or potential employers can see your tweets before you awaken. Remember, by default your Twitter account is set to public, which means it can be viewed by anyone and followed by any Twitter user. If you make your Twitter private, only approved Twitter users can subscribe to and view your tweets. This is a great way to keep strangers out of your personal life, giving you control over who can see your tweets. However, if you are looking to grow and expand your online brand, you may choose to keep your twitter account public, to allow people to follow you, but remember to think before you tweet.
Don’t post dodgy Photo’s on Instagram
Think before you pose and think before you post on Instagram. By default, anyone can view your profile and posts on Instagram. You can make your posts private in the Instagram app so only approved followers can see them but you have to manually change the settings.
Do social share and showcase your Personal Best
Don’t share personal brand breaking bad behaviours, questionable selfies, poor grammar, misspelled words, offensive language or texting acronyms, or anything you would not want your English teacher / Grandparent or a current/potential employer to see. It’s not all bad news, you don’t have to dilute all of the fun from your Facebook page, social media sites are for sharing life’s experiences after all. It’s just a question of being mindful and ensuring you do not compromise your personal brand.
Do set up a LinkedIn account ASAP
LinkedIn is the professional opposite of Facebook and should be treated as such. It is your online CV and so much more.
Complete your LinkedIn profile by adding:
- a professional headshot photo,
- a headline/tagline that defines your career focus (or expertise),
- a summary of your best career qualifications,
- your work and volunteer experiences,
- education,
- career relevant courses and projects, and
- career relevant skills.
Then, begin connecting with others, joining career relevant groups, and continue to build your CV and LinkedIn profile.