10 Tips for Online Networking and Your Job Search
by Alison Doyle
Anyone who is starting or building a career or actively job seeking should think about building an online professional presence – on LinkedIn, especially, and perhaps on Facebook, Twitter and other social media sites.
You don’t have to do it overnight. In fact, you can’t.
Building an online presence is a process not an event and it will take you time to create. That said, taking the time to increase your visibility to clients, prospective employers, and networking contacts, is really important. Your goal is to show up in the top search results for your name on Google. Google “Alison Doyle” to see what I mean.
Get a Professional Email Address. Consider getting an email address (you can get free web-based email at Gmail and Yahoo Mail) just for your job search correspondence. You’ll be able to check your email from anywhere and you’ll have all your career information in one place. Use your personal email for all your social media accounts.
Keep Your Resume Current. Keep your resume up-to-date. That way you can copy/paste from your resume into your LinkedIn Profile. Include your latest work history, education, and skills. That’s important for a couple of reasons – it needs to match your LinkedIn Profile when you’re applying for jobs, or it could be a red flag to a hiring manager. Plus, you want to be able to send it out at a moment’s notice when you’re job searching.
Pick Your Networking Sites. You don’t have to be on every site all at once. The most important site to use for professional networking is LinkedIn (http://www.linkedin.com). Start with LinkedIn, then decide what other sites you want to use. Facebook is an option, as well, but if you’re using Facebook for personal networking, like most of us, be very careful about your privacy settings so you’re not sharing personal information with prospective employers and networking contacts. Twitter is a good source of snippets of career advice and job listings.
Use a Photo. You can add a photo to your LinkedIn profile, your Facebook page, and Twitter. For LinkedIn, the photo can be no larger than 80x80 pixels. You can use your own digital camera and have a friend or family member take a the photo for you - you don't need to have a studio portrait done. However, it’s important to dress professionally and crop the photo so it’s just a headshot or a head and shoulders shot.
Use Your Name. When you start setting up profiles try to get your name (or your name with your middle initial if you have a common name). Your profiles will rank better on Google and be easier for contacts and companies to find. As an example, here are mine:
Create Your LinkedIn Profile. When you create your LinkedIn Profile include all your relevant skills and experience. Your goal is to make a good impression on everyone who views it. Have someone review it for you, to make sure you don’t have any typos. It’s just as important as your resume and cover letters when it comes to getting it perfect. Keep your Profile current and add new accomplishments to them right away, before you forget.
Create a VisualCV. A VisualCV (http://visualcv.com) is a good way to showcase your talent. It’s an online visual version of your resume, but notched up a bit – you can add images, video, and links to web sites. It’s a good way to showcase your accomplishments and to bolster your presence.
Promote Your Social Media Accounts. Because you don’t know where exactly you’ll be found, the more information you have online the better positioned you’ll be to job search. Cross promote your profiles by linking your VisualCV and your Twitter page from your LinkedIn Profile. Add a link to LinkedIn Profile from your Twitter page and add links to all your profiles to Facebook, if you’re using it for professional networking.
To see how it works, take a look at my VisualCV (http://www.visualcv.com/alisondoyle) . I have links to my AlisonDoyle.com site, About.com Job Search site, my blog, my LinkedIn profile, and Twitter. On my LinkedIn Profile I’ve included a link to my VisualCV, my website, and Twitter.
Build a Network. Build a network, if possible, before you need one. The more connections you have, the more people who can help with your job search. Use LinkedIn to connect with people you went to school with, worked with, who were clients, or have another connection with. Follow recruiters, job boards, contacts in your industry and career field, as well as your friends on Twitter. Connect with everyone you know on Facebook, too.
Spread the Word. It doesn’t do much good spending time building a presence online if nobody knows you are there. Be active - join Groups on LinkedIn and start and respond to discussions. Use the Status section of LinkedIn to post updates on what you’re working on. Tweet and retweet other people’s posts on Twitter. Visit blogs related to your field of expertise and post comments. The more visible your social media presence, the more you’ll benefit, both when you’re looking for a job and when you’re ready to move up the career ladder.
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