The increased online presence of millions of people utilizing social media is resulting in a transparency that not everyone is comfortable with. But this blurring of lines between personal and professional profiles is fait accompli. A decision to reject this will only hurt your own brand as the natural presumption will be that you have something to hide.

Internet use and social media continue to evolve as we leave behind an industrial era that created a separate work life from our personal life. Recognition and reparation have resulted in a return to a healthy work/life balance and at the same time, social media has brought our online personal profiles to a public visibility that was previously sought after only for a professional profile. This online merge of private and professional profiles will be a struggle for many but with the resulting transparency, we will have the ability to determine credibility.

In the past many companies have successfully marketed themselves without a personal presence leaving many unsuspecting customers at a loss to follow up with unstatisfactory products or services. Social media has provided a venue for sharing information and the potential to generate global awareness. Soon, there will be nowhere to hide from the most powerful influence in today’s society; word of mouth.

Oprah, Richard Branson and Steve Jobs have all established highly successful brands both personal and professional. Separate entities or brands are becoming less acceptable and in order to validate your integrity and crediblity or that of your business, a commitment to visibly stand behind your personal reputation, product or service will be necessary if you wish to succeed.

For further information on developing your online profile contact Elite Resumes.

Are you between the ages of 30 and 40 years old? If so, according to Susannah Fox, “Twitter and Status Updating, Fall 2009“, you represent the median age for all three of the top social media sites, Facebook, Linkedin and Twitter. If you thought social media was just for kids, think again.

An article by John Moore, CTO, “Your 2010 Social Media Plan, Get that person hired”, provides advice about experience when hiring a social media professional and says, “They must have existing accounts on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn.  Anyone who is not participating on these networks is living in the 1990s and does not understand the importance of social networking.”

You are probably not a social media professional, but as a job seeker, can you afford to disregard the vast amount information available from surveys and statistics? Jeff Cole writes, “How you should use that social media life jacket to get a job”. He says, “Another statistic – according to Nielsen, 80 percent of employers start their search for employees on LinkedIn. Obviously, that’s a site a job hunter wants to be a part of. In fact, social media is a place a job hunter should want to be.”

If you are in career transition, it is in your best interest to create a visible online profile. If you wish to create opportunities to advance in your present career, you must maintain a professional online profile. Once visible, it is imperative that you think before you post. Martha Irvine writes, “For stars, high-tech gaffes hard to hide”. Whether a star on not, your online profile will allow potential employers to review information about you that will influence their decision. Existing employers will also have the ability to stumble upon your information so be very careful. It really is pretty simple, ask yourself, is it professional? Most will agree that posting a negative opinion about anyone for all to see is not acceptable, professional etiquette and will do more damage to your reputation than the person you’re trashing online.

Contact Elite Resumes to speak with a Certified Professional Branding Strategist.

An online presence continues to evolve into the most influential factor in the success of your career! In an article, The Boom of Social Sites and Personal Branding, Chad Levitt writes, “In the next decade, the best opportunities will go to those that have created their personal brands and are seen as leaders in their niche.” He goes on to say, “The most credible and visible personal brands will stand the greatest odds of success in an increasingly online and competitive world. 

If you are still questioning the influence and the power of an online presence, google Gary Vaynerchuk or read his book, Why Now Is The Time To CRUSH IT! Cash In On Your Passion. ABC News called him the “Social Media Sommelier”. He truly understands the power of the Internet and his enormous success is proof of that.

Trust Agents, Using the Web to Build Influence, Improve Reputation, And Earn Trust, written by Chris Brogan and Julien Smith is another excellent book providing more evidence on the power of the Web and social networks.

If these experts can’t convince you, how about someone who was a complete unknown in April of this year? On April 15th I posted, First Impressions and on that date, Susan Boyle had been viewed on YouTube 5 million times in three days. Today, over 300 million people have viewed her on that YouTube video and sales of her first album release have surpassed all records including topping Amazon’s bestseller list, three months before it was released! Yes, her voice is amazing, but without the Internet, how many people would she have influenced?

The opportunity to embrace the power of the Internet is available to everyone and social media, unlike print or television and radio media is free. Your online presence will be the driving force in the success of your career. Are you utilizing these resources to successfully manage your career?

Contact Elite Resumes for further information on creating your online presence in addition to many other executive, career management services.