1. Clean up your posts and comments
Take down any socially inappropriate posts or comments you wouldn’t want your potential employer to see. In addition to cleaning up your Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram, Google yourself to see what information is out there bout you. You can’t remove information about yourself on sites like Wikipedia, but you can add information. In short, make sure potentially embarrassing information is not the only information about you available online.
2. Invest time in social media upgrades
Note that this is a TIME investment. Although certain sites like LinkedIn offer additional services at a cost, simply spending some time updating information and learning about new features can demonstrate to employers that you are on top of the most recent trends. For example, try joining Google+ to manage your contacts or utilize Pulse on LinkedIn.
3. Change your email
Your email is essentially your name, or at least it should be if you want to be taken seriously by employers. Professional emails traditionally include some
variation of your name so that others can quickly find your email by typing in just the first few letters of your name in the contacts box. For example, it’s easier for others to remember that Joe Smith’s email starts with “J” than it is to remember that Joe is also a [email protected].
4. Become a social media expert
Just as socially inappropriate information can prevent you from landing a job, not having any social media presence can also lead to your being overlooked. For employers, how you present yourself online is a reflection of how you will represent their company. Show off your social media expertise by starting a blog, creating a virtual resume, or developing an extensive list of connections.
5. Network outside the box
Utilize your email signature as a way of promoting your skills. The use of popular quotes has become a commonplace way of signing off in an email. Rather than informing an employer that they should dance like no one is watching, set yourself apart from others by listing the top 3 skills you bring to the workplace or provide a link to your LinkedIn profile. Lastly, don’t be afraid to get offline. The most effective way to network is in person. Try volunteering in your community as a way to meet people you normally wouldn’t come across in your daily life.
