Businesses understand it, and you can see that by the fact that most brand building is now done online. It stands to reason then, that individuals begin to build their professional personas online as well.
According to the 2015 Recruiter Nation Survey, the three main social media platforms on which recruiters look for employees are: LinkedIn (87%), Facebook (55%), and Twitter (47%). About 46 million of those on LinkedIn are students or recent higher education graduates on the job hunt.
iQ Academy offers a free DO Personal Branding course to all their students to help them get to have the edge over their competition in the job market, on maximizing their social media, for professional gains.
The Profile
Write your personal profile in the first-person narrative. The goal is to make yourself and your capabilities stand out. Let your professional personality be evident.
Give an attractive summary that shows who you are and what your professional aspirations are. Ask yourself, what is your profile saying to a future employer?
Without being inauthentic, consider who you are trying to attract with your profile, and write in a manner that a recruiter or an employer for that industry would find interesting. Make sure that you have a good professional-looking photo of yourself.
The photo does not have to be stiff, however, it cannot be a pouty or sexy selfie either. Remember, the goal is to network with professionals and potential employers. Check for grammar and spelling errors. It’s the small things that sometimes disqualify us.
Contactability is Key
Make sure that your email and contact details are entered correctly. Be sure to go back and update your details whenever they change. The point is for someone like a recruiter to be able to reach you.
Come Across as Inspired
LinkedIn will ask what your current employment status is. Instead of merely writing “unemployed” rather substitute that for a phrase that shows that you are able and ready to go; for example write something like the following: Supply Chain Management graduate looking for a challenging employment position.
The Don’ts of LinkedIn
LinkedIn is not like your other personal profile platforms. Keep the main thing the main thing. Don’t post anything that diminishes how you come across professionally. Get out there. Get connected.