03-05-2021
Self-Marketing is a tool that can open doors and help professionals to create and cement their reputation and professional recognition. It can also help to position an Applicant strategically before employers showing them acquired experience, personality, and training, which may interest those hiring.
And when we talk about creating and maintaining an online profile, the impact of Social Networks is undeniable on many levels: sharing opinions, projects, and personal achievements, among which is the capacity to push their presence before employers, may make all the difference between being contacted for a project or being completely ignored.
We speak of networks like LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and others. All of them have their own goals and essence and may be adapted and worked on strategically in order to create a professional image and concerned reputation.
From the point of view of hiring, it is crucial to understand what is currently happening. Unlike what companies used to do, where they stuck to an Applicant’s CV as their only ‘mark’ allowing for them to assess their profile and skills, the hiring process currently implies a more thorough analysis that naturally includes the Social Networks each one uses.
In addition to that previously mentioned, Social Networks are a great way to create a network of co-workers, enthusiasts, and experts on that field. And regardless of the network used or the strategy established, you should consider what contents you post and/or share because if an employer looks up the Applicant’s network, these will be thoroughly analysed and may influence any future decisions.
When these contents exist, they show that this person is active on Social Media and that they care about creating and sharing relevant contents and maybe establishing themselves as an active voice in their media. By creating this image, this will naturally add value to your profile and subsequently increase any chances of a job offer.
It is therefore essential to consider some aspects in the case of Self-Marketing regardless of the network you choose for your Personal Branding. Let us see how this applies to the main Social Networks:
LinkedIn is the most famous Social Network for the professional element and it is also a channel that employers often visit when they are looking for Applicants for a certain job offer – as mentioned before.
Since the employers are registered in this social network it makes sense for Applicants to use it in order to make new contacts, that is, to network or create/share content that will be deep down related to their professional activity.
This profile should be updated frequently in terms of skills as well as education and training and professional experience.
Although this network does not focus on the professional scope, the truth is that most companies/brands are registered in this network, where they share information that may interest their followers and may even lead to interactions with said followers.
So, similarly to LinkedIn, Facebook may also be a network that many employers analyse when trying to assess the profile of a possible Applicant.
This network is of a more dynamic and visual nature than those above making it an excellent platform to show any work with a more graphic component like photography, design, and other. Subsequently, it is also a great channel for establishing authority before an audience, which may also include employers.
In short, based on the Social Networks mentioned above, it is important to highlight the great benefits of Self-Marketing:
These advantages will only be gained if there is consistency in terms of interacting with the contact network, sharing and creating content, and this being done frequently.
