Polishing Your Digital Footprint - Social Media and Your Brand

Did you know that ⅓ of employers use social media in their candidate search? Social media is a necessary part of building your brand. The way you use it can make or break a job opportunity. Your social media presence could very well be the employer's first impression of you. The presence you project online is directly correlated with your personal brand. It is essential to check your social media to make sure there isn't anything unprofessional.

A simple, yet effective, step is to Google Yourself! See what comes up when someone searches for you online.

Once you've Googled yourself, it's time to review your profiles & settings. Here's what the sources suggest for different platforms:

• LinkedIn®: Post industry-specific content and engage in professional conversations to show enthusiasm and thought leadership. Include your newly developed professional branding statement.

• Facebook®: Ensure your profile picture is professional and current. Turn on privacy settings so that only friends can view your profile. Limit past posts if they were ever made public. Disable the option for people to tag you in pictures and videos.

• Twitter®: By default, your Tweets are made public. Under Privacy and Safety, you can protect your Tweets so only followers can see them.

• Instagram®: Take a look at your account and decide if you want it made public. Control who sees what in your privacy settings, along with how and when you are tagged in others' photos and videos.

If the results you find don't show you in a positive light, do your best to mitigate it. This might involve deleting old photos and removing tags from pictures and videos your friends may have posted. Try to tone down the social content and pump up the professional you.

Here are some tips:

• Proactively shift your search results.

• Consider posting positive questions or comments on industry forums.

• Follow industry "gurus" on Twitter and re-tweet their posts.

• Update your LinkedIn account with the most current and relevant information.

• Ask colleagues, friends, and family members to take certain pictures or posts down – they should understand why this is important during your job search.

• Start a simple blog on one of the many free platforms available can also help; you can write your positive thoughts on current events or an industry you are targeting.

I hope you can utilize these tips and use social media to enhance your professional brand and increase job opportunities!