We live in a digital world. This means that goods and services are more easily procured and evaluated, and fewer in-person inquiries are often necessary to complete any task. Especially in the last 12 months, the digitization of jobs and the proliferation of remote working has streamlined many workflows and saved thousands of businesses on office expenses and maintenance.
With our society continuing to march steadily in a digital direction, there is an often overlooked aspect of this move that each individual needs to keep in mind: your digital presence. With search engines becoming more robust, and the integration of workflows through web-based applications, it has never been easier for someone to look you up. With a few keystrokes, your friends, coworkers, or even strangers can view your work experience and even personal details via internet searches or social media.
The importance of maintaining and protecting your digital presence cannot be overstated. If you are under the impression that your work product, relationships, or reputation speak for itself, and your online profiles can be ignored, you may be gravely mistaken. Here are the top things your digital presence says about you.
Your Experience
Whether you are on the job hunt, firmly established in your current role, or in the midst of a career shift, your digital presence is the first place any prospective employer or client will search for your experience. Major areas to consider include your bio page and customer reviews and testimonials. These items can be found both on your LinkedIn profile and on your corporate website, if applicable. If one of those two avenues doesn’t exist for you yet, you’ll want to change that at your earliest convenience. If potential clients or employers are evaluating you, you can be sure they will search online, browse your LinkedIn page, or both. Make sure to keep these places updated with your relevant experience and accolades in your industry. Positive reviews from satisfied clients are always a plus.
Your Professionalism
Your digital presence speaks directly to your professionalism. If your website is defunct and your online profiles lacking, customers and employers may view this as a sign of apathy. If executed correctly, your digital presence can serve to highlight your acumen and professionalism. Don’t leave old Facebook photos that paint you in a negative light out there for everyone to see. The details matter and viewers will notice your attention to them.
Your Personality
Lastly, your digital presence is important because it will allow those who don’t yet know you to get a glimpse into your personality. Instilling a sense of familiarity with viewers will make them more likely to hire you and more likely to describe their experience with you as positive. While maintaining a professional demeanor, speckle your digital presence with your authentic tone and content. Letting your network in on your personality (without getting too personal) can create a sense of endearment – people are drawn to those they feel that they know, more so than a robotic list of accomplishments.
Partner with Us
We can help you use your digital presence to land you in the right role. At IT/IQ, we have years of experience connecting top talent with the right firms. With locations in Vancouver, Calgary, and Toronto we will help you streamline your hiring process. Visit us at it-iq.com to learn more and connect with us.