How to Streamline Your Online Presence
Your online presence serves as a virtual business card.
Written by Maya Avram
In a recent Unfiltered Talk event hosted by our co-founder and career expert Sacha Milazzo Mercier, we discussed how your portfolio serves as “a window into your world through which [someone] can see your skills, personality and potential… It shows your ability to work with different materials, themes and techniques, as well as how you research, develop and plan your ideas.”
If managed strategically, your online presence can similarly serve as a virtual business card which could have a huge impact on your job search. Case in point, Louis Vuitton’s recent intern was a 13 year-old boy from France who landed the opportunity after his mother shared his sketches online.
The main objective of streamlining your online presence is to render yourself valuable through connectivity, creativity and consistency. By sharing your sources of inspiration, creative process and industry insights, you not only set yourself apart from other job seekers, but you are also able to foster meaningful connections and boost your reputation in the industry.
Of course, few of us can afford to focus solely on creating content. To best utilise your time and resources, you have to determine your desired career path, define your target audience and select your preferred formats, to figure out what elements of your content are must-haves, nice-to-haves, or irrelevant. Harvard Business Review advises that “Each time you go to post, ask yourself: Is this content helpful, relevant, and timely? How does sharing this relate to my professional goals? How does sharing this contribute to my community?”
Below is a list of steps to optimise your online presence.
Hone Your Personal Brand
The importance of your online presence, whether it is published work or your social media profiles, cannot be understated, as a well-thought-out digital footprint can often open doors and unlock new career opportunities.
To stand out from other job seekers, your online persona must be authentic and compelling. That means showcasing your unique perspective and skill set through engaging storytelling and a consistent tone of voice. Keep in mind that while your content should reflect who you genuinely are, whatever you post online is likely to be seen by a recruiter or a hiring manager, so always keep communication respectful.
The first thing to consider, then, is the type of work you are looking for — is it creative, like design or hair and make up, allowing you to express yourself more freely? Or is it corporate, like buying and operations, which warrants a more professional communication style?
Second, think about what type of content is relevant to those cohorts, that also aligns with your own strengths and interests. For example, you might want to pursue a career in styling, but are too camera-shy to pose for fit check videos — that does not mean you cannot offer valuable commentary, photographic aesthetic curation or educational fashion history facts.
Explore profiles of experts in your desired field who inspire you, who tap into a specific niche or cater to a key demographic you wish to engage as well, to experiment with your content and develop a strategy.
Define Your Target Audience
Social networks have long expanded their remit beyond friendly ties, replacing other databases when it comes to talent search. According to CNBC, recruiters and hiring managers scout LinkedIn for potential candidates by searching for skills and keywords, leading people with five or more skills listed on their profile to be contacted up to 33 times more by recruiters, as well as receive 17 times more profile views.
To be found by the right people, you must first establish who it is you wish to be found or known by: is it recruiters and hiring managers looking to grow their teams, or perhaps fashion enthusiasts you wish to engage with your content? Think how they may look for emerging talent or brands and tailor your presence accordingly.
Choose the Right Formats and Platforms
Once you defined your personal brand and target audience, set on the best fitting format and platform(s) to share your content. Factor in user behaviour insights, like Brandwatch’s latest digital marketing report, according to which video content is the most reshared content format, with short-form videos being 76% more effective in generating impressions.
Regarding the choice of platform, consider your practice; if you are a photographer, you would want to focus on visual-first channels such as Instagram, Pinterest, Behance, and Vero Social; conversely, if you are a marketing manager, you would want to opt for text-based platforms such as X (formerly Twitter), LinkedIn or Medium. Research people in your field whose work you admire to learn how they self-promote and communicate with followers to draw inspiration.
On the backend, it is crucial to consider things like search engine optimisation (SEO) and performance analysis to track your content’s performance. Perform regular checkups to see what type of content performs best, and what areas need improving. Finally, ensure your profiles and websites are easy to navigate, feature engaging visuals, are accessible and mobile-friendly.
Be Consistent
The last thing to be mindful of is cadence and consistency. Estimate how long it takes you to produce your content to build a realistic content plan you can stick to. Remember, not all platforms are made equal, with Instagram and TikTok requiring far more frequent posting than LinkedIn and Pinterest, ranging from up to five weekly posts to one, respectively. Do your research to find the right mix of channels for you.
You should also allow time to engage with others’ content. Interconnectivity is key to fostering strong relationships with peers and industry leaders, which in turn can bring about new career opportunities.
Written by Maya Avram