online presence and executive job search

Why Every Executive Job Seeker Should Care About Having an Online Presence

Executive job search is looming imminently in front of you, or you’re already deeply mired in one. Having an online presence may be the last thing on your mind.

Even though you’ve heard that social networking and online presence are important, you don’t think that’s for you.

Maybe this is what you’re thinking . . .

“I don’t have time for social networks, and I don’t like the idea of having an online presence and putting myself ‘out there’”

If you ignore your online presence and social networks when you’re job-hunting, you’re making a big mistake. You need to be visible and at least somewhat active online.

Otherwise, you may never be found by the very people you need to be smack dab in front of.

If your executive online presence is non-existent or minimal, you will appear to be out of date with the new world of work. Executives candidates need to demonstrate that they’re social media savvy.

Social recruiting is now the norm. Executive recruiters and your target employers’ hiring decision makers use social media/social networks to source and assess candidates. If you’re not on these networks, how will these people find you?

Beyond findability, a strong online presence is important to attract executive recruiters and other hiring professionals. They’re looking for social proof. They want evidence supporting the claims made in candidate’s career documents (resume, biography, etc.) and when networking.

Google “your name” and see what you find.

If your search yields little to no results providing social proof, you’ll likely be passed over for someone who has a vibrant, diverse online footprint.

Just to keep pace with your competitors, build a complete, value-driven LinkedIn profile. Then work on building some decent search results for your name.

Some ways to build your online presence:

Get busy on social networks (LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, etc.).
Set up an Amazon (and/or other online booksellers) profile and write book reviews on relevant publications.
Publish articles online.
Comment on relevant blogs and LinkedIn updates.
Post updates on LinkedIn.
Contribute posts to relevant blogs.

One of the best ways to consistently build quality web pages associated with your name is to start your own blog. Although, it takes some work, the benefits are huge.

Don’t forget to monitor your online presence regularly

Self-Google regularly to monitor results and be sure your online presence and reputation remain spotless.

You’re not the only one who can create online content about you.

If you see “digital dirt” about you, do your best to get it taken down. If you can’t do that, work on supplanting the bad results with good ones. Use my list above to create positive search results, for instance.