Photo by Kmevans
I had the opportunity to attend a presentation by Ellen Sautter and Diane Crompton, co-authors of the book, Seven Days to Online Networking being released by JIST publishers next month.
Ellen and Diane spoke about the importance of using the internet to help promote and define your personal brand – they referred to your “electronic footprint.” This seems to be my week to write about the importance of keeping up appearances online and using your social networks for job searching.
Regular readers know how much I love referencing other authorities who agree with me! This presentation was a great reminder of the importance of creating and maintaining your online identity. I thought I’d share some insights from the presentation for job seekers and everyone else hoping to take advantage of cyber-connecting.
Ellen and Diane note (and I agree) that online networking does not replace face-to-face contact. Combine the two for the most impact.
Have a strong profile or bio to use online. Keppie Careers will be happy to help you write, revise or proof your profile to make sure that you are presenting the most professional image possible. Nothing screams careless more than a typo or grammatical error on a standard bio. Email: [email protected] for more information.
Ellen and Diane point out that it’s important to have networking goals. They suggest keeping a “networking tool kit” that includes:
- Frequently used links
- URLs of all of your profiles and sites where you are a member
- Links to your articles and press
- Email signatures
- Photos/headshots
- Various versions of your bio
- Profile information (what you offer and what you seek)
- Accomplishment statements, elevator pitch, etc.
Remember to Google yourself. (In fact, set a google alert to alert you when your name or business is indexed. This is a great way to know if other people are mentioning you on their websites or blogs.) Ellen and Diane suggest checking up on your online identity on a regular basis, even weekly.
Enhance and maintain your profiles. A tip from Ellen and Diane: Review other linkedin profiles from people in your industry to get ideas of keywords and buzz words. Incorporate language that makes sense for your profile.
Keep an eye on this blog for ongoing tips and tricks for improving your online and in-person networking efforts!
Keppie Careers will teach you how to network! www.keppiecareers.com
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