A key component to a successful internet strategy for executive job seekers is to ensure you rise to the top of search engine results. There are many proactive techniques you must employ in order to achieve a professionally self-managed online presence, and put yourself in front of key executive recruiters and hiring decision makers. Follow each point below and make the necessary changes to your current online presence strategy. BlueSteps members should visit the career channel afterwards to gain further information about managing personal brand online.

1. Take control of profiles created by online information aggregators 

There are many websites out there that trawl the internet, gathering, storing and then presenting information about as many people as possible. No doubt you will have a profile somewhere on www.zoominfo.com, www.spokeo.com, www.jigsaw.com, etc.

ACTION: All of these websites allow you to take control of your ‘contact card’ and choose what is displayed. Delete any errors and create a profile that is accurate and compliments your executive career. 

2. To re-iterate, social networking is for senior executives

Using social networks such as LinkedIn, Facebook or Xing is a key component to establishing your personal brand online. Each or these websites are highly ranked by search engines, so a profile created here will rise higher in search results than profiles created by the information gathers highlighted above. It is also a great way to compete with others of the same name. 

ACTION: Take time to develop your online profiles; you cannot simply replicate your resume. You must concisely portray your key professional and personal accomplishments with an executive summary that immediately draws interest from industry leaders, hiring managers and executive recruiters. 

3. There is more to Google 

Google has a profiles option which is integrated with the rest of Google’s expansive list of programs such as Gmail or GoogleReader (a must have RSS reader). Having a google profile will help you get another link found by search engines, and beat that rival executive with the same name. 

ACTION: Visit www.google.com/profiles to create an online profile much like linkedin or facebook – because of the high visibility in google’s own search engine, I would suggest keeping personal info out and making it a professional extension of your personal brand. 

4. Tweet 

Using Twitter you can follow target companies, executive search firms, individual executive recruiters and rise to the top of search engines just by having a profile. Over 300,000 users are joining twitter everyday. 

ACTION: See ‘Executive Job Search - Leveraging Twitter for Online Career Management’, to learn why you should be using twitter. BlueSteps members visit the Ask the Expert section for a technical overview of twitter. 

5. Create a portfolio of presentations on www.slideshare.com 

Slideshare is an online service used to host presentations online, and share with internet users worldwide. Slideshare is a great way to establish yourself as an industry leader by sharing presentations demonstrating your knowledge and helping readers to learn from your experience. 

ACTION: Create a personal branding presentation similar to a C.V. or resume. Include links to company websites and other content that is relevant to your personal brand. Outline your professional history, include photos and videos to tell your story, and start with a clear executive summary. Lastly, publish it on your LinkedIn profile by visiting the LinkedIn home screen, scroll to the end of the right column and choose slideshare presentation from the ‘add application’ button. 

6. Demonstrate thought leadership through blogging 

Following the goal of establishing yourself as a thought leader and creating branded content to be found by search engines, blogging is the key to any sustained online presence. Each post you write can be published to your twitter, facebook, linkedin etc. and will be further fuel for search engines. The key is to find a subject you will be able to publish content about regularly – ideally your industry or function. 

ACTION: Learn more about why it is important to blog and then visit http://wordpress.com or http://blogspot.com to begin blogging. BlueSteps members can also publish guest articles to this blog, a great way of enhancing your brand. Login to BlueSteps and see ‘become a guest writer’ on the homepage.

Online Exposure to AESC Executive Search Consultants

BlueSteps is the exclusive service of the Association of Executive Search Consultants (AESC) that puts senior executives on the radar screen of over 6,000 executive search professionals in over 70 countries. Be visible, and be considered for up to 50,000 opportunities handled by AESC search firms every year. Find out more.

BlueSteps Executive Guest Writer
Gerard F. Corbett is a strategic leader with proven ability to develop and execute marketing and communications programs that are aligned with and help accomplish business goals and objectives. He has worked in Fortune 200 firms managing and implementing programs to advance corporate culture, enhance brand understanding and trust, and enable organization harmony and effectiveness. Get in contact via linkedin or email.