Be Different or be dead

March 8, 2019

5 simple ways to impress your future employer with your online presence

It is no secret that employers regularly investigate the social media presence of many potential hires before any offers are made. This has given rise to many people being terrified of posting anything even mildly controversial or making any mention of their personal lives.

While it’s understandable that hateful remarks will get you fired, not posting anything will also do harm.
Not only are you depriving your family and friends of opportunities to share in your successes and support you in your challenges, but you are denying potential employers an opportunity to get to know the kind of person they will be hiring.

When used well, social media can be a better way to land a job than traditional job searching. Having the courage to show potential employers (and everyone else) who you really are can help you stand out from the crowd.

Here are 5 simple things you can do today to impress future employers with your online presence.

1. Protest Thoughtfully

There may be some companies that are legitimately looking for someone that will never express a strong opinion about anything, but chances are good you probably wouldn’t want to work for them anyway.

The truth is, most businesses are looking for people who are passionate, because passionate people generally make concerned, dedicated employees.
What they are also looking for, however, are intelligent employees who don’t just jump on the latest bandwagon and parrot whatever talking head they agree with the most. There is nothing wrong with making thoughtful commentary on causes you are passionate about.

Doing so shows future employers you are capable of engaging in “hot button” discussions with thoughtfulness, tact, and diplomacy. And who doesn’t want that in an employee?

2. Browse Through Your Social Media Content And Ask If You Would Hire You Based On What You See

Remember that recruiters and potential employers are not the only ones looking at your social media accounts, and they likely have very little access anyway.
Who is looking at your full profiles are dozens of friends and acquaintances that might already be working at a company you are interested in working for.

Not everyone you are connected with on social media knows you personally. In some cases, all they know about you is what they see on social media. If the impression they get is of someone who lives a full life, they might be inclined to pass on your resume to hiring managers and recruiters.

Browse through your profiles and ask yourself what kind of impression you might form of you if you only knew you through social media.

3. Be Real

Some people become so concerned with how potential employers might view their social media content that their profiles become flat, boring and lifeless - they follow all those guides on how to have the perfect social media profile that would make you employable.

You know what’s wrong with all of those guides? They aren’t you. They are general guides that just make an army of clones. 

The truth is, human beings are complex and everyone is quirky in their own way.

Jennifer Lawrence is just as famous for constantly tripping on the red carpet as she is for her fierce work ethic. Being a hard worker is great, but it’s also important to be likable.

Your coworkers and even bosses may have to spend long hours working with you, so they might be just as drawn to someone who looks fun to be around as someone who just has all the right skills.

4. Highlight What Makes You Right For The Job You Want

Think of your social media profiles as a fuller, richer version of your resume. If you want to be a travel writer, but have no photos of yourself traveling anywhere, you’re probably not going to get hired just to receive on-the-job training.

That doesn’t mean you can’t get a job in an area where you have no experience, but you want your profiles to at least communicate why you would be a good fit for the job you are looking for.

The motto “dress for the job you want, not the job you have” can also be applied to social media profiles. For instance, working in a telecommuting position is a great opportunity to share your insights on how it truly is to work from home.
Post a photo of your home office and showcase your dedicated workspace - it shows your future employers that you are disciplined, a self-starter, and know how to organize your daily tasks.

5. Share Both Your Work Challenges And Victories

Everyone’s job is going to offer challenges that need to be overcome in order to succeed. In the above telecommuting example, that would mean you should share and teach others that working from home has good and bad sides - and how to overcome the bad ones.

Many people are afraid to share these challenges on social media because they are afraid they will come across as weak or negative. The truth is, however, most employers would love to see how you deal with and overcome challenges.

Letting others know may also give them inspiration to better deal with their own. If you are having difficulties at work, such as feeling bullied by a coworker, you can use your social media outlets to maturely discuss what this person is doing, how it makes you feel and the steps you are taking to deal with the situation.

The likelihood is, if you address the situation calmly, rationally and maturely, you will most likely see a positive outcome at some point.
If you share about that too, you show potential employers (and even friends and acquaintances that may have the ability to put your name in front of potential employers) that you know how to handle workplace challenges well.
That quality may be far more attractive to an employer than your ability to create a comprehensive spreadsheet from scratch.

Bottom line is that your social media presence is becoming more and more important to building a career.

While you don’t necessarily have to have an active social media presence to get a job, having a great one can give you a competitive edge in a wide range of fields.

— Ashley Wilson is a digital nomad and freelance writer from San Diego, California. When she is not busy baking cupcakes, Ashley loves writing about business, digital marketing, and finance. Connect with Ashley via Twitter

• Posted 3.8.19 at 04:28 am by Roy Osing
• Permalink