Industry Insights

If you’re looking to make a fresh start in 2023, maybe the best place to start is with your social media profiles. 

The downside of social media being around for most of a young professional’s entire life is that being online and sharing all manner of thought and activity is that it can provide a negative first impression when looking for a new job. After all, most people will go online to try and find information about who they’re dating, or who their friends are dating, and will do the same for their potential employers — but companies are doing the same, looking at job candidates to see how they present themselves online. 

Here’s how to clean up your social media profiles and your overall online presence as you start looking for a new job. 

Make Sure Your Resume & Profiles Are Up-To-Date

When was the last time you reviewed your resume? It’s vitally important to make sure all your job information is current and that your list of skills, responsibilities and certifications are accurate. If it’s been a while since you’ve looked for a job, you might have taken on additional responsibilities or learned new skills. That information belongs on your resume! All programs, software, training, certifications, even tools you’ve picked up along the way, all of that can make a difference in being considered for a job, but it needs to be on your resume to count. The same goes for your portfolio: If you’re looking to take a new position as a digital marketer, the last thing you want is an outdated record of your work. Technology moves so fast and you’ve likely grown so much in your abilities; you don’t want to have old pieces that look like something from five years ago to serve as the digital representation of your creative process. 

Review Your Posts for Hot Takes

You are absolutely entitled to your opinions and politics. No one would argue against that. However, keep in mind that a hiring manager or person conducting an interview with you might form an opinion of you based on what you talk about online and how outspoken you are about your positions. That might mean you lose out on a great position because it could seem to someone in a position to make such a decision that you’d be a bad fit for the company’s culture. If you’ve been posting pictures at protests, rallies or other such events, it might be time to either delete them or make some posts private. 

Mind Your Frequency

How often do you post online? Are you sharing every thought and idea, or are you more methodical? Do you share high-quality content or are you reposting memes that tickle your funny bone several times a day? You want to make sure that your profiles are seen as contributing to important conversations, serving as a thought leader and innovator who wants to share good ideas and information. Posting all the time can also suggest you’re not taking your work seriously, preferring instead to get likes and shares instead of focusing on the tasks at hand. 

Consider Separating Accounts

If you want to keep living your life online and don’t feel that a job search should change that, that’s your prerogative! But you might want to consider starting professional accounts. This gives you a place to raise your professional profile, share your work and concept pieces, pass along interesting articles and thought-provoking pieces pertaining to your work as a digital creator and establish yourself as someone who contributes to the conversation in your profession. You can keep your other accounts active and post as frequently as you’d like, but maybe separating the personal and the professional is the way to go. 

Choose a Professional Profile Picture

If you want to make a great first impression, you need to look the part! Make your profile photo one of you looking at the camera, in a nice outfit, or maybe your branded logo if you’ve created one for yourself. If you can, have a professional headshot taken by a photographer, or a friend who knows how to capture you at your best. 

There’s an understanding and expectation that you’ve created an online presence — most people have, it’s just part of how we live in society today. It’s worth taking a few moments to make sure your online life doesn’t interfere with your professional expectations and goals. 

Contact Method Recruiting Today

If you’re looking to make a change and need a little help getting started, reach out to our team at Method Recruiting. We can help you update your resume, boost your profile images and can even help you find new positions that might be the right opportunity for your future. Call us today and let’s get started!