5 Ways to Make Your Online Profile Work for You

by HEATHER R. HUHMAN on MARCH 4, 2011 in CANDIDATE ADVICE, CAREER NETWORKING

Your online profile across social networking sites is becoming increasingly important as employers look to the Internet to find quality candidates. Similarly, many experts predict that your online profile will replace your resume in the next few years. Make it work for you by considering the following:

Infuse personality and character into your biography and descriptions. No one wants to read a dry, boring paragraph about you or your previous positions. Don’t be afraid to spice it up a bit by including some humor or personality into your descriptions. Try to explain as clearly and succinctly as possible what it is you do and any future goals you may have.

Ask for recommendations to include other people’s thoughts and words. On sites such as LinkedIn, recommendations play a prominent role in your profile, and many people look to those recommendations to get a better sense of who you are and how you work. You can also do this on Facebook (if you have a page) by asking for reviews or kind words on your Wall.

Connect with people you know and want to get to know better.Connections are key in social networking, and leveraging those connections can lead you to new opportunities you may have not had before. Once you’re connected, be sure to keep in touch with those individuals by sending messages, status updates or filling in recommendations.

Link to your outside sites. Direct your connections to other websites to learn more about you, such as your blog, professional portfolio and other social networking sites.

Include work samples and awards. Professional networking sites allow you to add writing samples, presentation slides and much more through applications and additions to your profile. Take advantage of these different things to personalize and add to your profile.

How else can you make your online profiles work for you?

Author:

Heather R. Huhman is the Career & Recruiting Advisor for Cachinko. She is also the founder & president of Come Recommended, author of #ENTRYLEVELtweet: Taking Your Career from Classroom to Cubicle(2010), and writes career and recruiting advice for numerous outlets