Looking for a Job? What Your Online Presence Says About You

Let’s face it, we are living in a digital world and today’s workforce is no exception. More than ever, employers are utilizing the internet in their search for the right candidate. So what does your online presence say about you? If it’s less than professional, Employment Specialists within the Arizona Department of Economic Security (DES) Division of Employment and Rehabilitation Services (DERS) can help you make a good first impression with a pristine digital footprint.

“In today’s connected world, an online profile is your virtual handshake,” said LinkedIn Marketing Specialist, Blair Decembrele. “A recent LinkedIn study found that 65% of professionals surveyed agree that the impression you make online is just as important as the one you make in person, and more than three quarters (76%) believe it’s difficult to overcome a bad first impression.”

Think you’re safe? Check your online presence by searching your name in Google. What comes up? You may find personal information and photos that you didn’t realize were public.

Knowledge is Power

Once you’ve identified what your online presence is saying to the world, you can take steps to improve it. First, set accounts to private and delete or hide unflattering photos and old information. If a friend posted something embarrassing about you, ask them to either remove it, or set it as private.

Build a Professional Presence

Next, create a presence on America’s largest professional networking site, LinkedIn. Thousands of hiring employers utilize LinkedIn to review the qualifications of potential candidates. LinkedIn is an excellent platform to promote yourself as a desirable hire, so make sure that your profile is perfected. 

DERS Workforce Specialists can help you perfect your LinkedIn account at any ARIZONA@WORK office (some locations even offer LinkedIn workshops).

Decembrele offers the following tips for perfecting your LinkedIn profile:

• A picture says a thousand words: Members who include a profile photo receive up to 21x more profile views, 36x more messages and 9x more connection requests. Make sure your picture is high-quality and clear to demonstrate the professional identity you want to show the world.
• Perfect your elevator pitch: A summary of 40 words or more makes you more likely to show up in a future employer’s search and helps you stand out from the crowd.
• Tell your story: Include your education, industry and current position to help recruiters and alumni easily find you. Adding your education leads to up to 17x more messages from recruiters. Members with current positions are discovered up to 16x more in recruiter searches.
• Spotlight your skills: Including at least five relevant skills will help you connect with the right opportunities, so highlight what you want your network to know about you as a professional. Hiring managers are also evaluating how you demonstrate soft skills such as leadership, teamwork and prioritization, so be sure to weave these into examples of your work, experience and knowledge to show you’re the right candidate for the job.  
• Location, location, location: By listing the region where you want to land a job, you will stand out up to 23x more in searches. Recruiters often use advanced searches based on location, so the more details you have, the more likely you will be found and connected to your next opportunity.
• Paint the picture: Demonstrate your unique professional story and achievements by adding visuals like pictures, compelling videos and innovative presentations to your profile.

Search for Local Jobs

Create an account on the Arizona Job Connection (AJC) website. AJC is an active employment database that is maintained daily with thousands of openings in Arizona. Use it to search jobs, learn about local workforce resources and training opportunities, and connect to hiring employers.

Employers are turning to the internet to help them chose candidates, so spend the time to ensure that your online presence is improving your chances of landing your dream job instead of hurting it.  

Please visit our Employment Service page for more information about free workforce services.

For a list of upcoming job fairs, hiring events and workshops, please visit ARIZONA@WORK.