What are the top results when you Google your name? Are the results relevant to you? Or does your (fully visible to even non-friends) Facebook photo album of Spring Break 2011 pop up? Uh-oh. Online personal branding is more important than ever before. When you apply for a job or internship, you should assume that whoever comes across your name in the hiring process will Google you. Why wouldn’t they?
Online personal branding is essentially your online footprint- the combination of everything out there in cyberspace that has your name on it. Some of it may be perfectly tame (your name printed in your high school’s talent show program), incredibly relevant (your name appearing as a list of Stony Brook 2011 alums graduating with honors), or potentially embarassing (those Spring Break photos I mentioned before). So what can you do to establish, clean up, or enhance your online personal brand?
To establish your online personal brand:
1. Create online profiles. This can be done on Facebook, LinkedIn, etc. Facebook is meant for informal communication. You can include information on where you work and went to school, but it’s not necessarily the best place to build a professional online image of yourself. LinkedIn is the social media hotspot for connecting with current and former bosses, co-workers, industry professionals, etc.
Join groups that are relevant to you, and include yourself in discussions. LinkedIn the appropriate place to connect with your professors and advisors- not Facebook. Please note: It’s advisable to stay away from MySpace. The site has gained a negative reputation and with few exceptions, it’s not an appropriate social media tool for establishing your online presence.
2. Join Twitter- it is great for sending out quick messages (‘tweets’) to your followers… but check those tweets three times (or more!) before you send them out. Remember how public your message will become!
1. Create online profiles. This can be done on Facebook, LinkedIn, etc. Facebook is meant for informal communication. You can include information on where you work and went to school, but it’s not necessarily the best place to build a professional online image of yourself. LinkedIn is the social media hotspot for connecting with current and former bosses, co-workers, industry professionals, etc.
Join groups that are relevant to you, and include yourself in discussions. LinkedIn the appropriate place to connect with your professors and advisors- not Facebook. Please note: It’s advisable to stay away from MySpace. The site has gained a negative reputation and with few exceptions, it’s not an appropriate social media tool for establishing your online presence.
2. Join Twitter- it is great for sending out quick messages (‘tweets’) to your followers… but check those tweets three times (or more!) before you send them out. Remember how public your message will become!
To clean up your online personal brand:
1. Be mindful of any photos of you. Keep your Facebook private and make sure your profile picture is somewhat professional. Sign into your account, hit the ‘account’ button at the top right corner of the page, and then scroll down to ‘Privacy Settings’. Click ‘Customize Settings’ and carefully decide who can view each component of your profile. Be smart about this. Professors, previous and current employers, and co-workers are on Facebook too. Not to mention your parents… and possibly your tech-savvy grandparents. Be sure that any image (whether it’s an actual photo of you, or one you’re just tagged in) is something that you wouldn’t mind an HR professional viewing.
2. Be mindful of the content you put on your social media profiles. Make sure it is accurate and current. Be especially diligent when it comes to employment history. If you are using LinkedIn to help find employment opportunities (and you should be!), you want your profile to be a sparkling representation of you. Additionally, think twice before you post unnecessary personal information. It’s wise to keep things like your political views, etc., to yourself.
1. Be mindful of any photos of you. Keep your Facebook private and make sure your profile picture is somewhat professional. Sign into your account, hit the ‘account’ button at the top right corner of the page, and then scroll down to ‘Privacy Settings’. Click ‘Customize Settings’ and carefully decide who can view each component of your profile. Be smart about this. Professors, previous and current employers, and co-workers are on Facebook too. Not to mention your parents… and possibly your tech-savvy grandparents. Be sure that any image (whether it’s an actual photo of you, or one you’re just tagged in) is something that you wouldn’t mind an HR professional viewing.
2. Be mindful of the content you put on your social media profiles. Make sure it is accurate and current. Be especially diligent when it comes to employment history. If you are using LinkedIn to help find employment opportunities (and you should be!), you want your profile to be a sparkling representation of you. Additionally, think twice before you post unnecessary personal information. It’s wise to keep things like your political views, etc., to yourself.
To enhance your online personal brand:
1. Follow industry leaders and top professionals (not just celebs) on Twitter. It is fun to read tweets, and you will actually learn quite a bit.
2. Now that you have your LinkedIn profile perfectly written, and you’ve joined all the right groups- you need to start participating in discussions. These will showcase your understanding of topics related to your interests. Again, be careful to proofread your responses. Always maintain a professional and friendly tone.
3. Write reviews of books on Amazon. Make sure you have actually read the book. Write a concise summary of your thoughts- and then have someone else read it before you post it. The book should be relevant to your interests and your review should showcase your dazzling writing skills.
1. Follow industry leaders and top professionals (not just celebs) on Twitter. It is fun to read tweets, and you will actually learn quite a bit.
2. Now that you have your LinkedIn profile perfectly written, and you’ve joined all the right groups- you need to start participating in discussions. These will showcase your understanding of topics related to your interests. Again, be careful to proofread your responses. Always maintain a professional and friendly tone.
3. Write reviews of books on Amazon. Make sure you have actually read the book. Write a concise summary of your thoughts- and then have someone else read it before you post it. The book should be relevant to your interests and your review should showcase your dazzling writing skills.
For further guidance on establishing, cleaning up, or enhancing your online personal brand, stop by the Career Center today!
Wow I never thought about this before I just googled my name and nothing much comes up I need to change that ASAP. Thanks again!!!!
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