Hello. Let's talk about social media.
Today, there's 3.8 billion
people using social media around the world.
There's a good chance you probably already
have an online presence. That's great.
It means you're already connecting with people online,
maybe even professionally on websites like LinkedIn.
If you aren't, getting started
is as easy as signing up today.
But there's some really easy ways you
can enhance your online presence even
more and use your existing profiles
to build your professional identity.
One of the first things you
should ask yourself when looking at
your new or existing online presence is this:
would you be okay with potential employers and
colleagues seeing your social media profiles?
Try putting yourself in their shoes.
When a potential employer is
looking at your public profiles,
they're asking themselves if you're the right person
to represent their company and values.
Is there anything on your current accounts
that could make them think otherwise?
If you want to limit what you share,
be sure to check the privacy settings on your accounts.
If they're set to public,
anyone can see everything you post.
You can also make specific photos or albums private,
but remember this doesn't erase them from the internet.
Keep in mind, changing your privacy settings
doesn't necessarily keep all of your posts secure,
so you should always think carefully before you post.
Now the best way to make sure that your posts
and photos are appropriate and professional
is to delete any that you wouldn't
want your future boss to see.
If you're getting ready to upload
photos for the first time,
think about how those pictures
represent you before posting them.
Feel free to back up these photos
for your personal files,
but maybe don't put them on Facebook or Instagram.
Speaking of Facebook and Instagram,
there are some easy options for deleting
posts on these platforms.
Both Facebook and Instagram have
an archive function that allows
you to remove posts from your profile.
You can even mass delete posts on Facebook.
While you're at it, check your Twitter.
Your social media profiles are probably connected,
so it's important to make sure that they're all
representing you the way
you want to be seen professionally.
A good rule of thumb:
your posts should be family-friendly.
This goes for photos and text posts.
Check to make sure your content and
language is appropriate for the whole family.
While you're working on enhancing your online persona,
a professional profile picture is a great touch.
Even if your account is set to private,
recruiters will likely still
be able to see your profile picture.
Having a photo for your LinkedIn profile
is important because
it significantly
increases your chances of being contacted.
Make your profile picture one that represents
your professional side in the best way possible.
Once you've gotten your profiles up and running,
post mindfully. Think about
the professional image you are
trying to create and stick to it.
This means curating posts for different platforms.
Decide which platform you
want to use for family and friends,
like Facebook and Instagram, and keep
updates about your personal life on those platforms.
Use professional platforms, like LinkedIn, for posts
related to your work life
and building professional relationships.
A huge number of companies and hiring managers
use online sources to identify and pick candidates.
So it's important to make sure that
your online presence has
a positive impact on your real life.
Make sure your online presence is job
appropriate by making your accounts private,
deleting posts you wouldn't want your boss or
colleagues to see, and posting mindfully.
Don't be afraid to ask someone you respect
professionally to take a look and give you some feedback.
That can be a big help in building that online presence
and using it to make connections
within your professional community.
Now that we've built and enhanced our online presence,
let's learn more about building networks and reaching
out to other professionals. See you soon.