Your online presence is all-important, especially when it comes to attracting potential employers and their job offers. 

 

More than ever, hiring managers begin their new talent search online with just a few keyboard clicks. A CareerBuilder survey confirms this with approximately 70% of recruiters pre-screening potential employees by scrolling through their social media profiles. 

 

It stands to reason then, that what your digital footprint says about you can easily be the difference between securing an interview for a fantastic job, or being put into the 'do not consider' pile. To ensure you're firmly in the 'yes' pile, here is a comprehensive step-by-step guide to showcase your design skills online. By following these steps and fine-tuning your online presence, you will attract some enticing job offers your way

 

Perform a personal audit

 

Google yourself to determine what type of impression you're currently making on potential employers. Hunt through at least three pages. This is the best way to uncover old profiles and photos, and delete what is no longer relevant or appropriate. 

 

Next, review your social accounts. While some accounts (like Facebook) are for personal use, others (like LinkedIn) should be for professional use. Check the privacy settings on all your social media accounts. Ensure your personal account privacy controls are appropriately set, i.e. only friends and family can see your profile in detail. Your professional accounts should be set so you are discoverable.

 

Focus on your audience

 

Your first step is to define your audience. In this case, it's your future employer. Put yourself in their shoes and consider these questions: what do they need and want to know about you? What don't they need to know about you? 

 

For example, potential employers will consider your: 

• Skillset & experience (and how well they match their job) 
• Success in previous roles 
• Cultural fit 
• Online connections and network 
• How respected or visible you are in the design sphere 

 

When working out what needs to go on your social media profiles, keep these categories at the forefront of your mind.

 

Hone your LinkedIn profile

 

With over 550 million users worldwide, it's imperative you have a strong presence on this well-connected professional networking site. 

 

Here are some guidelines when filling out your profile: 

 

Aim for a 100% completed profile 

 

LinkedIn members with completed profiles are 40% more likely to receive a job or business opportunity. 

 

To get to 100%, you need to include: 

• Your industry and location 
• Current position, including description 
• Two past positions 
• Education 
• 50+ connections
•  A minimum of three skills (listing 5+ relevant skills can lead to up to 17 times more views) 
• Upload a professional photo 

 

Your profile photo is the first thing people notice on your LinkedIn profile. Having one can also get you 21 times more views and 9 times more connection requests. Ensure the image you choose is recent, relevant and appropriate for your audience. 

 

Write an informative headline and summary 

 

On your LinkedIn profile, your headline sits right below your name. Apart from your photo and name, it's the only other piece of information people see in a search, be it on LinkedIn or Google. It makes sense to ensure your headline goes beyond your current or most recent job title. 

 

Use the 120 character limit to make a statement to potential recruiters about your value. Use characters such as | to create clear breaks and then insert an eye-catching phrase that includes skills and Quantity Surveyor-related keywords (which will help your profile get found). 

 

As for your summary, it is a chance to expand on the promises you've delivered in your headline and you have 2000 characters to do it. There are many ways you can go about writing this section and Hubspot have an excellent article on this topic. Whichever way you go, provide evidence to back up the statements you make. 

 

A note on keywords: Keywords get your profile found by the right people and search engines, quickly and easily. But working out which ones to use can be a difficult task. 

 

Start by listing words linked to your skills and experience. Then flip those into words a recruiter might use. So for Quantity Surveyors, recruiters might be looking for someone who focuses on infrastructure projects. If you have that skill, tweak your headline from 'Quantity Surveyor' to 'Senior Quantity Surveyor, Infrastructure Specialist.' 

 

Update your job history 

 

In the rush of work (and life), it can be easy to forget to update the experience section of your profile. But keeping it current is vital. Finished an important project? Make sure your LinkedIn profile knows all about it! This is another section that greatly benefits from a sprinkling of pertinent keywords. 

 

Seek support 

 

No matter your industry, connections matter. Many a job has been secured via word-of-mouth or referral. This LinkedIn study of over 3000 people found 85% got their job through networking, rather than directly applying. 

 

The more relevant connections you have on your LinkedIn profile, the more likely you are to appear in search results. Each time you meet someone new through your current role or even in a social setting, send them a request to connect via LinkedIn too. 

 

Endorsements and recommendations are all about showcasing your expertise. The former illustrates you have the right skills and are endorsed by people in the industry. The latter backs this up with personal testimonials from people you have worked with. Reach out to colleagues, former clients or academic professionals to request these and let them know you are happy to reciprocate. 

 

Be active 

 

There are many ways to be active: 

• Join industry groups 
• Like and comment on articles or others' status updates 
• Share others' status updates or articles 
• Share industry insights (articles, infographics, images, videos, quotes) 
• Post industry or job-related questions seeking advice 
• Post job-specific tips that might help others 
• Write articles or blogs on topics relevant to your industry 

Bonus tip: be discreet 

 

If you're job hunting while still employed, it would be worthwhile to review your LinkedIn privacy settings. Your profile activity is automatically shared with your network so if you are connecting with lots of new firms or recruitment agencies, this may send up smoke signals to your current employer. 

 

To stay discreet and hide your updates: 

 

Navigate to Me>Settings & Privacy>Privacy>Sharing Profile Edits>No

 

Promote your online presence

 

If you've followed the above steps, you have invested lots of time and energy into carefully honing your online profiles. The last step is to actively promote them.

 

Do the following: 

• Add your links to your email signature, resume & job applications 
• Ask colleagues, friends or family to share them on their socials
• Cross promote across all social platforms
• Actively post, share and comment in all platforms (you will be rewarded with reciprocity) 

Those are four important steps to help you manage your online presence to land yourself some great job offers. It may seem like a lot of work, but the end goal is well worth it. However, if you lack the time, or need some further assistance in getting your online presence up to scratch, feel free to connect with us at Kappa Executive Search. We're just a phone call or email away. 

 

ABOUT KAPPA EXECUTIVE SEARCH 

 

Kappa Executive Search helps connect Architecture, Interior Design and Quantity Surveyor professionals with great career opportunities. 

 

We always place candidates into roles with their best interests at heart and we make it our business to be your partner in growing your career over the long term. Kappa Executive Search are dedicated to the design industry with over 10 years of specialised Architecture, Interior Design and Quantity Surveyor experience. We have access to some of the best jobs on the market and would love the opportunity to meet with you to discuss your career goals. 

 

Get in touch: 

 

Kappa Executive Search 

T: (02) 9402 0735 

E: info@kappaexecutive.com