Your Professional Profile
You have a top notch CV, thorough and accurate, spell checked and beautifully formatted, but what about everything else? When screening candidates, employers look at so much more than your CV so f you are on the lookout for a new role it's important to consider your overall professional profile.
From Facebook to Instagram, LinkedIn to personal websites, the digital world has opened up a new view for employers allowing them to see beyond your CV.
Social Media
Social Media has made it possible for employers to gain an insight into their candidates like never before! Many employers use social media to get an idea of you as a person, this helps them to assess personality fit within their organisation.
According to Career Builder study, almost 70% of employers use social media to screen candidates before hiring them.
Whilst social media is personal and may not reflect you professionally, it's worth reviewing your social media accounts to ensure they are 'appropriate'. Nobody wants their potential new boss to see that embarrassing photo from that wild night out!
Our advice advice is to review your privacy settings and ensure your accounts are only accessible to your 'friends' on that particular channel. This means that your full profile can only be seen by those you choose to share it with.
As well as the accounts you actively use, consider those that you may have had in past and have not yet deactivated.
Online CVs, portfolios and blogs
In today's digital world, your CV can be so much more than a piece of paper, one of the most popular online CV platforms is of course LinkedIn.
LinkedIn is a fantastic tool that should mirror and extend upon your CV. Take some time to look at them side by side and ensure they are consistent. Once the information on your profile is accurate and up to date, take advantage of the recommendation function. Recommendations act as instant references and can really help you through the screening and application process. You can request recommendations from anyone you choose, previous managers, peers and even clients.
If you are looking for a role in the creative industry, you may have an online portfolio on websites such as Behance or Dribble, make sure this is up to date with your most recent work to showcase your skill level and expertise.
Beyond professional websites, you may have personal websites such as blogs. As with social media, the content of your blog may not be connected to your professional persona but it is important to ensure the content of those blogs is not detrimental to your job applications.
No matter what type of role you are looking for, spending some time looking at your overall professional profile could help you land your dream role!
For help or advice on your search, feel free to contact us on 01527 758 320.