Did you ever take the time to just think about your presence on the Internet? Did you ever wonder if it really matters? After all, there are millions of people who use the Inter net every day, and you are just one little person so why should it really matter? Well, if you are a job seeker, your online presence could help you get that next job or could have employers running away as fast ast they can! Let's look at five reasons why your online presence really can make a difference.
Defining Online Presence
With the changing scenarios and wide use of internet, today's job seekers and employers make use of the internet to fulfil their needs. This is the new age of resumes and it is a common scene that employers look forward to in searching for the right candidate. Your online presence should consist of:
- Your own website (something like yourname.com)
- Social Networking sites (Facebook, LinkedIn, Google + and Twitter to begin with)
- Online Site listings
- Write blogs and articles and publish them online
Why is it gaining popularity among the recruiters?
It’s the employers market today and employers concentrate only on what they need. The job search process has changed tremendously and today there are some new ways that will land you that dream job. Studies show that the average time a recruiter spends on a resume is about six seconds. No doubt that a resume is the most crucial part of the job search process and it is necessary to work on it. But today, other than the resume, there are other things that a job seeker needs to work on. One of them is the online presence which is becoming popular among the employers.
Employers are using search engines, online job portals and social media profiles to look for candidates rather than depending on huge databases that the consultants provide them.
5 Reasons to create your Online Presence
Landing a perfect job today can be tedious work. Resumes, interviews, screening and it takes a lot more to land up at your dream job. Preparing a cover letter, a good resume and practicing the basic interview questions sure are very important, but the following reasons will explain why creating an online presence is much more important than you ever thought.
#1: The gaining popularity of Social Media
Facebook, LinkedIn and other networks today are more than just social networking sites. These media sites today are used to send and receive messages and this has brought down the usage of traditional e-mail services. Figure 1 corresponds to percentage of users from different income groups that use Facebook and other sites to connect. In fact, there are some facts about Facebook that leave us astonished.
A trend that follows is that more number of people who are in their mid-thirties spend more time on social media sites than teenagers today. Not only do job seekers look for people working in the organization they want to work for, but even organizations seek individuals who can be a part of their team. So it is important to keep yourself active on all these social media websites.
#2: There is newness to everything, even job search
In order to get the right job you need to be creative, confident and smart. But the creativity just doesn’t limit itself to the job description. You need to be creative even in the job search process. Design your profile in a way that it attracts employers to it. Building your online presence can let these employers find you rather than you finding the job. Even if you apply to a job traditionally, the chances are high that the employer will try to locate you online and your online presence will certainly give you an edge.
#3: It increases your chances of networking
Today, networking with professionals is one of the key points that lead you to a better job search. Your job will hugely depend on the number of people you meet in your field, people who can help you with where you want to be. You need to manage your career as an entrepreneur, always looking forward to the next big opportunity.
With tough competition and low job security in today’s market, it is necessary that you are always looking for the next big thing in your life. Your online presence lets you do that comfortably and keeps you updated with the latest trends and openings in your fields.
#4: It does what your traditional resume cannot
If your resume is created on Microsoft word, with traditional formatting, there is nothing wrong with that. But your online presence can turn a few tables for you. Many social networking sites use the resume builder tools that let you make your professional resume that you can use to apply to jobs through their own website. This also enhances your online presence and lets the employer know about your knowledge and seriousness.
#5: It adds that extra edge to you
Today, just applying to a job and building your interview skills may not work. Employers close the opening with a candidate who seems the most passionate about the job. So it is not wrong to say that being passionate is the deciding factor for most of the employers. There is a lot of competition and without passion it is difficult to sustain a job. The employer expects the candidate to be prepared with the basic questions like "why should we hire you" and "tell me about yourself." The promptness in the answers displays the preparation that a candidate has made for the interview and how passionate he is for getting the job.
Other than that, the best you can do in order to display your passion about the job is to develop your online presence and keep your focus on the job search around what you think you are passionate about. It is a fact that your passion lets you make more money than an ordinary job.
The Final Words
In this increasingly digital world, creating an online presence holds prime importance. Today many employers are running through the internet before a one on one meeting. Whether building a blog, business or a personal brand, you need an online presence today to be on top of the list. You need to keep in mind that you just don’t build your online presence, but you have to work to keep it active and fruitful. For example, if you are building a blog, make sure it has relevant posts that match your interests, passion and focus on the process of your job search.
(Photo courtesy of bplanet at freedigitalphotos.net)
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