| The importance of social networking sites in the job | | | | you don't really know, and also consider just how |
| search continues to grow. Employers increasingly look | | | | many networks you have joined. Can you commit to |
| to "personal" pages on MySpace and Facebook to | | | | checking email and keeping profiles current for LinkedIn, |
| make very professional decisions, so it's more | | | | Jobster, MySpace, Facebook and ZoomInfo? If not, |
| important than ever that you take control of your | | | | make choices now and delete any accounts you may |
| online brand. | | | | neglect. |
| You may be surprised just how many hiring managers | | | | Step Four: Create your positive online brand. |
| are investigating applicants online. One survey found | | | | Get out your list and spread professional information |
| that 45% of employers view social networking sites | | | | throughout your profiles. There's no reason to be |
| (and use search engines like Google) to research | | | | sterile when discussing your career online, so use the |
| candidates. Another 19% said they planned to start or | | | | same tone as you do in the text about your |
| increase this practice in 2008. | | | | personality and interests. Embrace appropriate humor, |
| Sites like LinkedIn and ZoomInfo only permit | | | | as it can give the reader a sense of what it's like to |
| career-related information, but many people signed on | | | | have you on a team. |
| to sites like Facebook to interact only with friends. | | | | Consider starting a career-centric Web site or blog |
| You're not alone if these pages don't reflect your | | | | where you can share details of your work experience |
| strengths as a candidate. Follow these steps to ensure | | | | and demonstrate leadership by making suggestions on |
| that anyone who researches you online would want to | | | | how your discipline could improve productivity. Many |
| meet with you or hire you. | | | | trade journals and Web sites also host blogs, so if you |
| Step One: Create a list of things you want prospective | | | | are short on time or technical expertise, these can |
| employers to know. | | | | provide a good forum. You can post entries on other |
| This is the beginning of building your brand, so start with | | | | peoples' blogs and still build your credibility as an expert |
| the basics. What is your profession and how many | | | | in your field without having to spend the time starting |
| years of experience do you have? What roles have | | | | your own. |
| you filled? What skill or experience do you offer that | | | | Make sure all your online references to work are |
| sets you apart from other candidates? Where do you | | | | positive. Even if you're blogging to identify a challenge, |
| see yourself in five years? | | | | offer a solution. If another blogger posts a question |
| Identify keywords that reflect your skill set. These can | | | | that you can answer, respond. It's likely your |
| be broad (e.g., project management, strategic planning) | | | | knowledge and attention will be appreciated and you |
| or more specific to your role (e.g., budget control, | | | | will have just made another contact in your industry. |
| safety.) | | | | Blog posts show up in Google searches, so take the |
| Remember that personal appearance is part of your | | | | time to make sure your thoughts are clearly presented. |
| brand. Consider what you want a hiring manager to | | | | Remember that everything you post is stamped with |
| see in online photo albums. | | | | the time and date, so post in the evening or on |
| Step Two: Google yourself. | | | | weekends. This shows your enthusiasm but also |
| You're ready to make changes to the pages you | | | | demonstrates you won't use business hours to update |
| know about-see if there are any pages you don't. | | | | personal pages. |
| Compare what you find to what you would like others | | | | Step Five: Relaunch your online brand presence. |
| to see. | | | | Let your recruiter and existing online contacts know |
| Step Three: Eliminate the negatives. | | | | that you've updated your profiles or that you've |
| Change the privacy settings on any purely personal | | | | become a regular on an industry blog. This is a ready |
| pages so that only friends can visit them. Then visit all | | | | opportunity to remind everyone that you're available |
| your public pages and remove any content you | | | | and prompts them to look you up when you can make |
| wouldn't want a prospective employer to view. Err on | | | | the best possible impression. |
| the side of being too conservative. | | | | Employers are watching candidates more closely than |
| The look of your online presence matters as much as | | | | ever online, but there's no reason why you can't turn |
| its content. Sites like MySpace offer layouts that can | | | | this attention to your advantage. Choose what you |
| quickly become messy and visually cluttered, so | | | | want hiring managers to know, evaluate what they |
| simplify any pages that have unnecessary, distracting | | | | currently see and make the necessary changes. |
| graphics. | | | | These steps make social networking sites a true |
| Cull through "friends" lists to eliminate access by people | | | | asset in your job search. |