8 Ways to Buff Your Professional Image—Online
Getting ahead still requires a firm handshake and sparkling personality, but your online persona is just as important these days. Most recruiters use search engines like Google, Yahoo, or MSN to learn more about would-be candidates for the jobs they’re filling. Yet many professionals remain digital dabblers who can call up a corporate bio or other tidbits about themselves but who haven’t cultivated a cohesive online identity.
The result can be a disjointed online presence. One challenge is making sure that when someone types your name into a search engine, the best info about you rises to the top instead of getting buried below lots of irrelevant stuff. Another common problem: Other people with similar names might elbow you off the first page of search results. Or even worse, the top results of a Google search include way-too-candid party photos, court documents relating to your divorce, or other embarrassing material you wish you could retract.
A little bit of technical know-how can dramatically sharpen your online persona—and maybe even help sweep those undesirable postings under the rug. To craft your digital image, start long before you’re in the midst of a serious job hunt, since it takes time. The first step is making sure people can find basic, consistent information about your work and career. Once that’s in place, you can take more sophisticated steps to enhance your professional reputation—or do damage control, if you must. Here’s how:
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