Sprucing up your social media profile can’t be postponed

MANY Australians are being overlooked for jobs and business opportunities because their social media profiles let them down.

More Australians than ever are being overlooked for jobs and business opportunities because their social media profiles are letting them down. Employers, clients and potential employees are Googling you long before they contact you.

If your digital footprint isn’t doing you justice, you are leaving money on the table, and not for the reasons you think. Most of us cower in fear of a social media disaster killing our job prospects, but these mishaps can usually be attributed to stupidity, not social media. In reality, the most detrimental thing we do is neglect social media. A lousy, inactive or nonexistent presence will repel the very opportunities you work so hard to attract.

The first step to redemption is a quick social media audit to alert you to any damage control issues. If nothing unsavoury arises from a vanity search, ask yourself: is my best work on display for when an employer, business partner or client sees it? If not, let’s get to work.

Social media is your resume, business card and Rolodex in one. Keeping in touch with people and building your professional credibility has never been easier, thanks to LinkedIn.

People are doing their research on you, so you should return the courtesy. Walk into meetings with the confidence of knowing mutual connections, common interests or some other nugget to steer the conversation. Briefly peeking at someone’s Facebook activity will typically give you enough fodder.

If this feels creepy, simply use LinkedIn and be ready to talk shop. These 1 per centers can be the difference between winning deals and “we’ll be in touch”. Social media connections are just the start of forming meaningful business relationships. The more you know about the people in your network, the better you can serve them. Marketing in the social media world is about helping and teaching others. Be selfless and generous, and gain confidence karma is working in your favour.

With chief executives, heads of state and captains of industry all actively using social media, especially Twitter, connecting with key decision-makers is limited only by how many doors you are brave enough to knock on.

My tip here is don’t go barging in and hassling them with your “opportunities”; sit back to see what makes them tick. Listen to what they are saying so you can understand their pain points and aspirations. Then lead with generosity and reach out directly only when you can bring real value to their table. Networking is a long-term play.

Now picture your ideal customers hunting you down, not the other way around. Imagine they recognise you as the industry authority. The root word here is author, and it’s easier than you think. Blogging is now our personal publishing platform, with a world full of eager readers ready to go on your journey via their smartphones and tablets.

When you publish content, your body of work is found by Google and can be read and shared on social media. This visibility creates many opportunities.

The more you publish, the higher you will be elevated as a thought leader. Social media is a golden opportunity. I encourage you to start publishing your ideas and sharing them with the world. I promise you’ll be amazed at what opportunities come your way.

Adam Franklin is the co-author of Web Marketing That Works