Maintaining a positive and professional online presence

Your professional image and reputation is no longer solely based on your interactions with others during the course of business hours. Your social media presence plays a role now as well. Your digital footprint and what you do on social media is a reflection not only of your personal values and beliefs but also your professional image and reputation, and today, more and more employers and organizations like colleges and universities are using social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and more to thoroughly research candidates before making any decisions.  According to Jobvite.com, more than half of job recruiters have reconsidered a candidate after viewing their social profiles.

Here are a few tips to help ensure your social media presence does not get in the way of your academic and/or professional aspirations:

1. Google yourself. Make sure you are aware of what others see when they type your name into a search engine like Google, and ask yourself the question: is this a true representation? Consider setting up a Google alert to be notified anytime new information associated with your name is added (you can also set up social media alerts for when you’re tagged in any posts or photos). This allows you to more proactively manage your online presence and make any changes or remove photo tags you may not be aware of.
2. Declutter your profile. Remove or make private any professionally unflattering or potentially offensive or controversial comments and photographs. Instead, focus on sharing positive values, actions and news. For instance, highlighting your engagement in community events, volunteerism and any charitable causes you support will be well received by potential employers, customers and industry peers.
3. Lock down privacy and security settings. All social media sites offer a level of security when it comes to protecting who can access your profile and how. Be sure to review each sites’ options carefully and select the appropriate level of viewing for your audience. But remember, your profile may still be accessed through friends and other connections.
4. Separate personal and professional profiles. Know your potential audience for all social media interactions. You may wish to only connect with professional associates and peers on specific platforms, such as LinkedIn, reserving other platforms such as Facebook and Instagram to connect with friends and family. Also, be cognizant of your online images and behaviors including who you follow or support, and your social or political commentary on hot topics such as politics and current events. Accurate or not, we are typically judged by who we associate with, and as the saying goes “you only get one chance to make a first impression.”
5. Refresh and maintain your LinkedIn profile. Review your LinkedIn profile quarterly to ensure it reflects your current responsibilities, experience and talents. It’s a great way to ensure you are presenting a complete professional profile and to keep your network up to date on new skills and abilities as your experience grows. Also, writing industry specific articles and blogs relevant to your specialization is helpful in ensuring the online community sees an authentic reflection of you online.

These tips represent just a few ways you can maintain a positive and professional presence online. It’s also good to remember that comments and images posted on the Internet are hard to take back, so before posting, always consider your potential audience both now and in the future and ensure it represents your best online self personally and professionally.