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 if you 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.