We have had an awesome time with Maeve from The Branding Of Me and her amazing advice on Rezoomo’s FREE digital CV builder. She has taken you through all of the features and has given you the best tips on how your personal brand can help you create a kickass digital CV .
We have some final advice from Maeve on how to share your story and the best platforms to share them on. Where would we be without the internet when searching for work? We would be stuck relying on our two-page CV trying to compete with the dozens of other people applying for the same job. Or as I call it the 1990’s.
At the time as a job seeker, we all stood at the mercy of the Friday jobs section in the Examiner and our CV. Then came online recruiters. That was it and that’s how it was. For recruiters, it wasn’t much easier having to rely on the CV to find out who was the right candidate for the job. After reading ten or so, they all began to look the same. Times have changed. Not only for job seekers but for recruiters. As job seekers, however, you need to think about how the recruiter can find you and learn about you. One of the first questions I ask at a seminar or talk is this…
If I were to search your name right now in front of a crowded room of complete strangers; will you be embarrassed or happy with what I find and what I show?
The room usually falls quiet as people think about THAT picture from Saturday night or THAT post about that girl…there for all to see.
IS THAT REALLY YOU? Is that a person a recruiter will ask for an interview? Would you? Although you may have hundreds of followers on Instagram or Facebook, the majority of them are complete strangers? Would you share all that kind of information if you knew one of your followers was your mum’s best friend or even your Granny? How well do you know your followers?
Honestly, I love social media.
It is a fast and vibrant medium to make connections and share interesting information either it be an article or photo. What you need to be aware of is that it comes with a great responsibility. You are responsible for your reputation. Your reputation will help you guide your future. Just one negative post about you can taint your future…. just one. That one post can be found, online, forever.
There have been cases where recruiters will ask an external body to conduct online searches of candidates and that one post can make or break a reputation. So, it’s time to be responsible. That is why my blog posts mention the phrase MAKE IT MATTER. By making it matter you are taking control of your online presence. I’m not talking about sucking all the fun out of it but becoming self-aware of your online activity. Start by making your personal accounts private.
You can keep the fun and social aspect of your activity here but just private.
Think about creating a professional profile of yourself.
A strategically planned profile showing your skills and attributes of your professional life. Always stay authentic but you are posting relative content to allow the audience to view your professional self.
Here are some top tips to create your professional online presence:
Decide on your platforms
You don’t need to be on all of them. However, no matter your profession from business to creative, you need to have a LinkedIn profile. LinkedIn is steadily growing in popularity here in Ireland. Follow groups and company pages and make connections. Decide on one or two more depending on your profession. Twitter is great for making connections and linking other accounts to really show your brand.
Profile
Make sure to have a solid profile on each platform you wish to use. Keep it consistent throughout to make it identifiable. As I mentioned previously, your profile is your brand message.
Connections
Begin connecting with peers and those you wish to make a connection to as a form of introduction. For example, I follow others in communications and marketing along with those I think inspire me. When you follow someone, look at who they are following to grow your own network. Do not follow those who are not relevant and do not allow people to follow you if they spread negativity.
Sharing content
Social media allows you to share your personal brand message. This would include the information you share. Always keep it relevant. Share articles and blog posts. Engage with others by commenting and not just liking. What you share is how you will be heard.
Stay active
You should not create a personal brand without staying active. It cannot remain idle as your brand will be lost. The more activity online will help with a search result.
Size has nothing to do with it
The number of followers you have is no reflection on your personal brand. It’s about quality of the content and the brand message. There is no need to allow every person to follow you. Be aware of time wasters. Stay relevant to your brand.
Take time to think about your online presence and conduct a self-audit. How do you look in the eyes of a recruiter? It’s your future, have faith in yourself and MAKE IT MATTER.
#makeitmatter
