Creating a Strong Online Persona Makes Sense
Here’s some good advice from Max Drucker, chief executive of Social Intelligence, a California-based company that “navigates the complicated landscape of social media” for hiring purposes: “Create an online persona that is far richer than a resume might be. Create your own personal domain. Participate in various industry blogs. Put yourself out there in a way you’d like your employer to see.”
The quote appeared in a recent Washington Post column called Web inSites from writer Melissa Bell. “A job candidate should spend as much time polishing an online profile as choosing an interview suit,” she writes. In fact, I have a 20-something friend who, convinced that his college exploits might have cost him a couple jobs, has started a new persona with an altered first name, sans the social media history.
The idea of building an online persona that your mother (and employer) would be proud of is quite in fashion now. And it should be. As more companies like Social Intelligence and Reputation.com comb the Internet to discover your grandest and un-grandest moments, why not play along? As Drucker said, take the time to make thoughtful contributions to industry websites and blogs—like this one or the SIPA listserv—become more active on Twitter or LinkedIn, and join groups that highlight your interests and show off your well-rounded personality. When we drive on a road where a camera monitors our speed, ready to give us a ticket, we slow down. In this case, we have a chance to not only slow down but shout that we’re the best drivers you’re going to see today.
Call it Social Idol; the audience and judges are there, you just can’t see them as easily.
And why not SIPA as a canvas for your newly developing, look-at-me online persona? We have the vehicles and visibility required. The marketing, editorial and IT listservs are perfect forums for you to project your industry ideas, experiences, questions and forecasts. Those are for members. But SIPA also has a LinkedIn group with conversations going on every week. (One thread this week asked, “How are you using metrics for content engagement?” Another began, “Two Email Marketing Benchmarks Reports – interesting – are they accurate?” And a third: “What is the industry standard commission rates for subscription sales people?”)
SIPA conferences—like the Marketing Conference in Miami Beach Dec. 7-9—also give members a chance to stand out and sing, so to speak. We post all the presentations in searchable form, and I write about many of them in this space and in the Hotline newsletter. Volunteer to lead a roundtable and your name will be posted in the online marketing we do. We host a Twitter Wall at the conferences where, in June, a few people gained a level of notoriety for their clever postings and helpful links. It’s a perfect fit: an association looking to involve members and members who should be looking to get involved.
Personnel people say the right thing when it comes to hiring and our social media personas. I came across this quote in an article on Mashable.com: “The only information companies should be researching is information that is pertinent to the position that the individual is or could be applying for,” says Heather McGough, a staffing consultant for Microsoft. “This could include blog forums that are related to job expertise, Facebook fan pages that are devoted to one’s applicable skills, and information regarding job history on networks such as LinkedIn.” But the writer of the article next says: “The situation becomes a little trickier when you’re not searching per se, but you happen upon some weird posts or tweets after the person applies for a job.”
So we are definitely out there. “The company wants to protect their existing employees from negligent hires. It’s the same reasons why you do a criminal check,” said Drucker. So be careful, be proactive and participate in SIPA.
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