BuildingYour Online Your step-by-step guide to a marketable professional image

A guide for job seekers by The Execu|Search Group

For today’s professionals, social networking platforms are the most effective tools for making themselves

visible and showcasing their skills, achievements, and industry expertise. As social media becomes increasingly

prominent in our daily culture, it’s reshaped the way we connect after networking events, meetings, and

interviews; it also consistently ranks top in Google searches, and as a result, your Facebook and LinkedIn

profiles are typically the first thing an employer sees when researching you as a prospective candidate.

When building your personal brand, being as active as possible on these networking platforms is an

integral part of marketing yourself to employers and professional connections. After all, having a personal

brand is only useful as long as it’s visible. So how do you properly build and showcase your personal brand

online for all to see?

It’s easy to know what not to do online — from sharing inappropriate pictures and complaining about

work to posting offensive content, many of us have seen daunting social media blunders and their

consequences in action. But what should you do, not only to maintain a professional presence but to

promote your brand? Here, we’ve broken down four major social media tools available to professionals

and how best to use them: LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, and blogs.

INTRO

LEVERAGINGLINKEDIN

FINESSING YOUR FACEBOOK

TRAVERSING TWITTER

BLOGGING YOUR BRAND

LINKEDIN

In today’s digital age, there is little doubt that LinkedIn has sparked a bit of a

recruiting revolution. With over 400 million members strong, it’s become almost

as customary as a resume and, if applicable, a portfolio. While job seekers utilize

this powerful networking platform to actively search for new opportunities,

employers leverage its technology to research their applicants as well as search

for passive candidates who might not have applied for a position, but would still

be a good fit.

That’s why a polished and professional LinkedIn profile should play a significant

role in your personal branding strategy. Although building and maintaining a

strong presence on this platform might take more initial effort upfront, your hard

work will pay off in the end. Employers and other like-minded professionals are

much more likely to connect and engage with LinkedIn users if they can see

why they would be an authority in a certain area, so make sure that you are

proving your expertise with stories — not just words — throughout your profile.

Chances are, you’ve filled in all the seemingly important areas: bio, work history,

maybe even project samples. You’ve made connections and uploaded a

professional photo. Now how do you go beyond and make your LinkedIn profile

a powerful marketing tool? Check out the LinkedIn tips on the following page!

LEVERAGINGLINKEDIN

94%

of recruiters use

LinkedIn to source

and vet candidates1

TIPS

BE CREATIVE WITH YOUR HEADLINE:

Instead of using your current title, try to be a bit more creative by writing something that describes you as an overall

professional. A strategic headline not only makes you more searchable, but is the first thing a hiring manager will

see when they land on your profile.

BE MORE THAN A RESUME:

Take your profile a step further than your resume by uploading work samples and writing a bio that includes your

career plans and professional goals. Hiring managers want to see that you’re qualified for positions you apply for,

but they also want to see a glimpse of your personality.

UTILIZE ENDORSEMENTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS:

If you want to build your credibility as an expert in a particular area, it’s advised to show, rather than tell. While it

may seem easier to write that you possess certain qualities or skills, securing recommendations or endorsements

from your network can take you much farther. After all, someone else is directly vouching for your reputation!

BOOST YOUR ACTIVITY:

To paint a more complete picture of your personal brand, join groups, share updates, follow professionals in your

field, and utilize LinkedIn’s publishing tool. When you consistently partake in discussions and share content, your

network and prospective connections will be able to see that you can back up your credentials with expertise and

interest in your field.

FACEBOOK

Facebook is the second most-visited website in the world — just under

Google — with a goal of having 5 billion users by 2030. It’s largely known

for its popularity among millennials as a personal profile, and among Gen-

Xers looking to reconnect with old classmates and coworkers, but it’s quickly

becoming an important professional tool that shouldn’t be left out of anyone’s

personal branding tool kit. If Facebook is one of the most-visited websites in

the world and the top social networking platform, shouldn’t you make sure

you have a polished presence on the site in order to best represent yourself?

Besides using the site to search for new job opportunities, there are a number

of ways to turn Facebook into a major professional networking platform for

yourself, so check out the Facebook tips on the following page!

FINESSING YOUR FACEBOOK

76%

of social job seekers

found their position

through Facebook2

TIPS

KEEP IT CLEAN:

Before proceeding, be sure to check your privacy settings and remove any past updates and content that can

be misinterpreted. You want to ensure that any contact or hiring manager can only find appropriate and relevant

material, so if you have any doubt, always err on the side of caution.

FILL IN THE BLANKS:

Facebook allows you to go into great detail about your background, so take advantage of it. Using the “About Me” tab as

a guide, be as descriptive as you can about your employment history, skills, education, etc. Remember, any prospective

connections viewing your profile should be able to quickly discern who you are and what you have to offer.

ORGANIZE APPS, SUCH AS NOTES, SO THEY ARE CLEARLY VISIBLE:

Upload your resume to “Notes”, as well as any work you’d like to display, and make sure this section is displayed

visibly on your profile. You can easily do this by clicking the “More” tab on your page’s timeline, and selecting

“manage sections”.

BE STRATEGIC:

When it comes to personal branding, consistency is key. From your cover photo to the other social media platforms

you link to, everything should reflect your brand identity. This, of course, applies to your content. Whether you are

sharing an article or commenting on a current event, these updates should all mirror your overall image. Also,

make sure you engage with your audience on a regular basis.

TWITTER

Though it’s commonly used to live-Tweet awards shows, follow news and

current events, and comment on the latest celebrity feud, Twitter is also an

exceptional tool for professionals. Utilized correctly, it can act as a live feed of

your accomplishments, proof of your networking skills, and even a type of online

portfolio. However, many don’t think to use this platform professionally — or

simply don’t know how — and are missing out on a lot of branding opportunities

as a result.

To make Twitter work best for you and your career, be sure to follow the 3 steps

on the following page for a strong start!

TRAVERSING TWITTER

58%

of job seekers

use Twitter in

their job search3

TIPS

DECK OUT YOUR PROFILE:

Write an informative bio, create lists to sort your contacts into, and link to your other profiles and online content.

Your profile includes your most recent tweets as well, so be sure to tweet about your latest accomplishments and

link to whatever published work or projects you have to show.

FOLLOW THE LEADERS:

If a person you look up to is prominent enough, they will most likely have a Twitter account. Once you find and

follow them, Twitter will tailor a list of recommendations for you—allowing you to easily find more connections in

your field. Some will even follow you back. And who you follow, as well as who follows you, says a lot.

USE #HASHTAGS:

Hashtags allow you to connect with others who are interested in and talking about the same things. They are also

great ways to discover tweets by others in your industry and spark conversations with people you may otherwise

have never spoken to — something that will help your discussions stand out in a potential employer’s feed of

personal tweets. Here are a couple of examples:

A job seeker looking for opportunities may tag their relevant tweets with #jobsearch or #jobhunt, while an

accounting professional looking for the latest industry news may scroll through the most recent and top tweets

in #accounting, and so on. Get creative, but also remember that hashtags are most effective when they are short,

sweet, and not too specific.

BLOGGING

Blogs are an excellent tool for those looking to display their writing skills and

expertise. While Twitter limits you to 140 characters and Facebook status

updates only go so far, having a blog of your own gives you free reign to discuss

your ideas and invite discussion on important industry topics. Having a LinkedIn

profile and contributing to discussions on the site are great ways to show an

employer how committed to and involved you are in the industry, but having a

blog puts you in a new ballpark altogether.

However, as with any online tool, blogs should be used with caution. Creating

content for content’s sake looks disingenuous, so the general rule of thumb for

blogging is to only do it if you really have something to say. Furthermore, you

should always be certain to choose topics with care and proofread your work to

show that you care about your ideas and how they represent you.

If you’re looking to embark on a new blog or revamp an old one, try starting with

the 3 tips on the following page!

BLOGGING YOUR BRAND

5th

Blogs have been rated as the

most trusted source for

accurate online information4

TIPS

USE IT AS AN ONLINE PORTFOLIO:

Treat the blog as your own personal portfolio, and upload any relevant information, such as resumes, work samples,

and a bio. Post your progress on current projects and initiatives if confidentiality policies allow it. Ultimately, the

aim is to show that you are active, engaged, and interested in the work you’re doing.

FOLLOW RELEVANT BLOGS:

Finding other bloggers in your industry is a great way to stay informed and strike up new conversations. Follow

them, repost or quote their insight, and comment on their posts. Link to theirs in one of your own and further their

thoughts with your own analytical thinking. This will help you look impressive to recruiters who research you

and will speak to your level of involvement in your field.

POST ORIGINAL CONTENT:

Whether it’s your own personal thoughts on a new innovation in your field or an update on your career

accomplishments, be sure to actively post your own original content. Simply rehashing others’ work may make

you seem lazy or lacking in original ideas and creativity, so while it’s important to interact with others, every blog

needs at least some originality to stay relevant.

For more resources and career

inspiration, visit:

our resources page at

execu-search.com/resources

for helpful whitepapers

and infographics

OR

our blog at

blog.execu-search.com,

which is chock full of tips

and tricks for all steps of

your career!

Sources

About The Execu|Seach Group

1. US News & World Report

2. Jobvite

3. Software Advice

4. HubSpot

The Execu|Search Group was founded in 1985 as a recruitment firm focused on

serving accounting firms, boutique hedge funds, and private equity funds. Over

time, our firm has evolved into a full-service firm integrating a broad range of

industries. We’re proud to say that we’ve helped over 26,000 companies find

talent and have connected over 60,000 people with new jobs.

Headquartered in New York City with 9 additional offices in New York, New Jersey,

Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Florida, we’ve become one of the largest

privately-owned recruitment, temporary staffing, and workforce solutions firms.

We specialize in the placement of professionals in the following roles:

ACCOUNTING/FINANCE | CREATIVE & DIGITAL | ENGINEERING

FINANCIAL SERVICES | HEALTH SERVICES | HUMAN RESOURCES

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY | LEGAL SERVICES | LIFE SCIENCES

NONPROFIT | OFFICE SUPPORT

www.execu-search.com