Topic Three – Discuss the ways in which an online professional profile can be developed

‘Social media is a key player in the job search process today’ (Smith, 2013)

Social media platforms, such as Facebook, twitter, LinkedIn, Google + amongst several others, allow employers to see what an individual is like in addition to their CV or an interview, which are no longer the sole factors to being employed.

More than a third of all employers use social media sites in their hiring process (Smith, 2013), meaning that it is increasingly important for job seekers to have a professional online profile where  they boast their skill set, and their interests in their line of work and future career. These are places where they promote themselves, and display themselves somewhat like products on a supermarket shelf, ready for the employer to purchase them, known as the ‘employer market; (Gonyo, 2013).  Employers tend to find it more suspicious if there is nothing to be found about a potential employee online. Being silent or invisible online can also be a disadvantage (Schepp and Schepp, 2012)

Careerbuilder.com conducted a survey in 2012 asking employers, how and why they incorporate social media into their hiring process. They found that 37% of employers use social networks to screen potential employees and some use what they find to make a decision as to whether to hire candidates or not. 65% of employers use social media to see whether the individual presents themselves professionally and 34% said the information they find has led to them not hiring the potential candidate. (Smith, 2013)

These figures are a lot higher than I had previously assumed. Therefore personally I would need to reconsider how I portray myself online, as I am increasingly becoming aware of throughout this course!

Weiler(2012),  suggests information that a professional profile requires:

1. Contact information, so that potential employers or networkers are able to contact you. However be wary of revealing too much information.
2. Video Profiles – they provide quick easy ways for a potential employer to gain an impression of you without having to read through CV’s or covering letters
3. Qualifications, Expertise and Certifications – defining the qualifications you have are usually paramount to getting an interview, yet alone the job. Candidates need to boast their skills proactively.
4. Professional Experience – each job or experience should show professional growth, rather than a list of what you have done. Explaining how it has helped and developed may be what stands out to your potential employers
5. Education – state the specializations in your education and degrees, these extra skills may also be eye catching for employers

Brad Schepp explores 7 ways to use social media to gain a job here – http://www.forbes.com/pictures/efkk45ehmek/7-ways-to-use-social-media-to-land-a-job/#gallerycontent

 

Gonyo (2013) emphasises the importance of networking on social media as the people you know from your networks can provide you with useful references and recommendations for your potential employers. Making contacts with people in your area of interest will benefit you greatly as they can enhance your position in your chosen field.

CONCLUSION  – To build a successful online professional profile, several factors need to be taken into account. Incriminating photos and statuses need to be kept at bay. Personal profiles should be moderated for any statuses, photos or posts that may discourage potential employers. Individuals should aim to appear professional on any profiles visible to the public, or keep their online profiles protected. Networking is an important factor in gaining employment online, people in your network could pass your online information on to potential employers. Boasting your skills, expertise and professional experience are all factors that could be appealing to potential employers, these factors could be the ones to make you stand out from the crowd. I find the most important point would be to be proactive online and to engage with other people, professionals and people in your area of interest, I think this would be the best way to increase your chances of employment and getting people in your field of interest to know that you are there!

REFERENCES

Gonyo, M., 2013, Building Your Professional Network, accessed online Introduce yourself http://www.dartmouth.edu/~csrc/docs/linkedin_howto.pdf accessed on 06/03/14

Schepp, B. and Schepp, D,. 2012. How to find a job on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and Google+. McGraw Hill Professional

Smith, J., 2013, How Social Media can Help (or Hurt) you in your job search, accessed online http://www.forbes.com/sites/jacquelynsmith/2013/04/16/how-social-media-can-help-or-hurt-your-job-search/ accessed on 06/03/14

Weiler, W. 2012, 6 Things Your Professional Profile Needs, accessed online http://blog.hiredmyway.com/6-things-your-professional-profile-needs/ accessed on 06/03/14