5 tips to optimise your digital profile

Organisations are looking for leaders at all levels to help their teams adapt in a fast-moving world. Even if you’re not a senior manager, show that you’re an expert by making a valuable contribution to thought leadership in your profession or sector.

Take part in conversations in LinkedIn groups. Share interesting content and articles. Tweet on topics of interest. Follow influencers on LinkedIn and contribute thoughtful comments. Join industry or professional associations and take part in events – both online and offline.

Companies and recruiters use the web and social media as part of their search and often also their selection process, so it’s crucial to carve out a personal brand that projects your capabilities and potential, not just your skills and experience.

Here are 5 tips to use your digital profile to improve your changes of landing your dream job.

1. Find your story

To stand out from the crowd, you need to create a personal brand and a personal story that others will remember.

What's your story?

Did you start at the bottom and work your way through the ranks? Did you go back to university and take a new career path? Do you bring an unusual combination of skills?

Summarise your story into a single sentence that demonstrated what you have to offer. Write this on your LinkedIn profile.

"A personal brand is the total experience of someone having a relationship with who you are and what you present as an individual"
- Glenn Llopis

1. Have a voice

"I have witnessed risk and compliance professionals gain more credibility by affiliation with professional organisations such as GARP (Global Association of Risk Professionals). Proactively sharing news and information on LinkedIn and other social media on a broad range of relevant risk topics and common themes affecting a wider range of industry and sectors also helps."
- Pardeep Thind

3. Think before you post

While it’s important to have a voice and be seen on relevant issues, think carefully.

Would you say it out loud in the workplace?

If not, you’re better off not posting it at all. Even if you use privacy settings, your comments can still end up in a public forum and they could live forever.

"Following a three-stage interview process for a permanent position within an Australian cosmetic brand, unfortunately I couldn't progress with the candidate following the client doing a spot search on social media.
This client felt the candidate's social media posts were not well aligned to the company's values."
- Ellyse Fletcher

4. Share your passion

Your passion and interests can also speak volumes about your character. This also helps employers get a broader perspective of who you are as a person.

Do you volunteer or advocate for a cause?

Perhaps you have an interest that shows off your creativity or strategic skills?

Often the insights and lessons you learn from your passions make compelling content that you could write as opinion pieces and share (ensuring you receive permissions from you current organisation if required).

Think outside your work hours for learning opporunities.

Perhaps you learned more about building teams from coaching your son’s soccer team?

The trials and tribulations of wrangling a bunch of eight-year-olds could make an entertaining read, as well as have pertinent insights into human nature that translate into how you manage staff, for example, the importance of communicating a clear objective to the team.

Passionate about aviation, education and technology. Firm believer in the importance of diversity in the community and workplace. Supporter of Liverpool FC."
- Alan Joyce

5. Ask for and give recommendations

Don’t be afraid to ask for recommendations from employers, colleagues and clients for your LinkedIn profile. If you’re truly good at what you do, they should be happy to praise you.

"Having a recommendation from a client grabs the attention of your potential new employer"
- Salih Mujcic

Be visible

Embrace online as a way to be seen, to influence, to network and to position yourself as a high performer that companies would love to hire.