In the era of social media and social media marketing, if you want to be a competitive performer in the job search market, it is imperative that you market yourself as a brand. In saying that, it is also important to remember there are things that you do not want to advertise about yourself to prospective employers such as your off work time habits of drinking and partying to excess.

If you have your own professional website, market it. Most employers who see a website listed on your resumé will access it to get to learn a little more about you. There are a number of rules to follow when creating a brand for image online.

#1: Always be mindful of what you put online.

Think of it this way: If you wouldn’t want your parents to see it, don’t put it on your website. Make sure that your website, facebook, twitter, or other personal page doesn’t link to something that could be construed as offensive or inappropriate.

#2: Make a website, especially if you’re presently unemployed.

There are a number of companies which offer free website design. Use these to your advantage. Create your own website complete with links to all of your accomplishments, previous jobs, and volunteer work. Use your website to expand upon what you were unable to discuss in your resumé due to brevity issues such as your certifications, any scholastic honours you received, or other information that you think might be relevant to an employer’s choice.


#3: Don’t list your blog unless it’s relevant to your field.

If your field is computer engineering, don’t link to your blog on your love of English Literature. If your current blog isn’t relevant to your field, make one that is. Keep a job search blog where you can post about your job search experiences and to keep track of all the places where you’ve applied.
Enable comments so that friends, family, and others can offer insight and constructive criticism that might help land you the job that you want.

Again, be mindful of what you write and remember that anything on the internet—even if it’s listed as being private—can be read by someone who really wants to read it. Only put information out there that you wouldn’t mind an employer finding out about. While there are ways of blogging safely (such as blogging anonymously or setting up your blog so that it doesn’t show up in search results), it’s better to be safe than sorry.

#4: Read job search blogs.


Inspiration can come from anywhere. Maybe someone on another job search blog has an idea that you haven’t thought of? You can always gain inspiration from reading about what avenues someone else is pursuing. If your search isn’t working for you, reading about someone else’s job search experience might be just what you need to get on the right path.

#5: Every top performer in a field has a blog. If you don’t have a blog, then you’re not a top performer.

This seems to be becoming more and more the norm these days in this era of social global networking. Everyone is out there trying to make a name for themselves, and those who have generally share their opinions and advice with the rest of the world through a blog.

Having a regularly updated blog is rapidly becoming as much a part of a job search as is maintaining a resumé. Keeping a blog will allow you to tell your employer what makes you unique in much more detail than what you’re allowed on a typical resumé. On your blog, you can demonstrate precisely how you are keeping ahead of everyone else in your field. Your future employer will appreciate knowing that you genuinely care about what you do. Having a blog also allows you to expand your professional network as you build a brand for your name online. Like-minded individuals will be drawn to you to offer their support.

Stay active and engaged on your blog by responding to people who comment. This will show that you care about what they have to say, and that you are taking their words into consideration.

Part of keeping a blog also includes making an effort to keep it updated daily or weekly. If you wait too long to make updates, your followers might grow bored and look elsewhere. Post too much, and they might feel like you’re spamming them. Limit yourself to one post a day, one post a week, or a few posts a week to keep readership up.

#6: Include links to your actual resumé and your social networking sites on your blog.

Make sure that these links are in multiple formats (.doc, .pdf, .docx seem to be the most popular). You want to know that anyone perusing your site will be able to download and read your resumé with ease.

Maintain a separate twitter and facebook account for all of your job search travels and link people to them. Be sure to keep these regularly updated as well.

#7: Let your readers into your life.

As long as your personal anecdotes have a PG-13 rating, sharing stories about yourself, your family, your interests, and your hobbies give prospective employers unique insight into who you are as a person. When you begin talking in personal terms, you’re no longer just a name on a resumé; you are someone that people can identify with and relate to. Never discount the importance of the human element, even in an online context.

#8: LinkedIn is an amazing tool.

Millions of professionals all over the world have a LinkedIn account which allows them to create network circles from a list of their family members, friends, and previous employers. It is an incredible, multi-functional service that anyone can use, job seeker and current employee alike. Prospective employees might be able to contact a current employee to ask them about the work environment to see if it’s the right environment for them. Employers might access an interviewee’s resumé right from their LinkedIn profile.

Blogs can make or break you when it comes to both making yourself marketable. Following all of these rules can help you locate the job that you ultimately desire.