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Why a low profile online may not be doing you any favours

Nov 24, 2015 by Lucy Singleton

I often hear people say that they don’t “really use LinkedIn”- but they do have a profile. Or, that they prefer to keep their Personal Life completely separate to their work. To do this they keep their Facebook Privacy Settings Private. I get it. I was there once too.

And yet, whilst we like to think we’re in control, we aren’t.

Classical Marketers have come to accept this over the past few years and have had to learn a whole new way of working where the brand messaging is 2-way and the power isn’t always in their hands.

Even if you keep your privacy settings tight. If you were to Google Yourself what you are unlikely to find is a clean slate:

  • You might find things like the results of a triathlon you participated in, or the fact you donated $50 to a friend for Movember. or that token LinkedIn Profile that you wrote once in a hurry.
  • You might find comments you made on other people’s Facebook feeds, maybe even some feedback you posted to a business FB page in a moment of frustration.
  • You will likely find pics you were at some point tagged in, on someone else’s site. Maybe even a wedding pic or an oldie from a school formal.
  • You might also find yourself connected to media articles, Professional publications and many other things.

The reality is almost all of us have an online footprint and we don't really control it.

If you are in the job market this is even more important. Because people may be actively trying to find out more about you.

It’s been estimated on a number of recent studies that 40-50% of hiring managers use social media as part of their candidate assessment.

The ethics and legalities of this aside, most do this to avoid the time and cost of a bad hire.

The types of things they are looking for include:

More insight about your likely cultural fit.

More insight about what differentiates you from other candidates- eg causes you support or participation on professional forums

Reasons not to hire you- this can include things like perceptions of “party” lifestyles, or the nature of comments you make on social platforms. This especially includes anything derogatory about past employers or clients.

Many use a quick Google even at the shortlist stage, to help with their selection. Are you making the right impression?

The best way to influence your reputation online is to work out what you want to be known for and set about making it happen. This is why having a token LinkedIn Profile isn’t always such a wise strategy in a competitive job market. LinkedIn is actually the easiest way of all to control your own message and make a strong impression.

It’s not hard to try and have some control but it takes a conscious effort. And even if you are not in the job market now, at some point you may just find yourself there and it helps to be prepared.

My top tips:

1. Google Yourself

2. Take control of your Professional Profile- Have a LinkedIn Profile and make sure it represents an authentic version of you that you are proud of. It doesn’t have to be long or complicated, just spend some time on the summary and the headlines.

3. Have a clear view about what you want to be known for. Reflect this in your own profile and the way you interact socially and online. You don’t need to write or generate content but you can “Like”, “Share” or Join Professional groups or forums to increase your presence in a calculated way.

4. Clean up your personal social profile and privacy settings. If you have a colourful background you would like to remove there are web based services that do this for you.

Think you’re too old for all this? Think again. If you find yourself in the job market late in your career you will be competing against people who do all this well and more. You can use social media to blow off misconceptions and show that you are adaptable, and in touch. Go for it!

If you need help or additional advice please visit our website www.yourspark.com.au or contact us at hello@yourspark.com.au

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