Social media has become an important place for people who want to advertise themselves and advance their career. Companies and recruiters routinely sift through sites like LinkedIn to look for people they might want to hire. That is why it is important for your social media site to be professional looking and recruiter friendly. Unfortunately, many people neglect to do some simple things to make their sites as professional as possible, and as a result, get passed over by recruiters. Here are a few things to watch out for.
1. Not keeping your work history up to date.
You need to keep your work history as current as possible. This is an obvious and, as a result, very noticeable oversight. There is also another not as obvious mistake here as well. People often forget to change the tense of their verbs on their job descriptions for jobs they have held in the past. As a result, it gets very confusing to someone who is reading your work history and sees all of your jobs described in the present tense, as if you still hold all of these positions.
2. Writing too much.
As with resumes, recruiters don’t spend a lot of time reading through individual websites, so you need to make your site as reader friendly as possible. That means making your job descriptions snappy and brief. Use bullet points, show accomplishments using facts and figures, cut out filler.
This also applies to areas where you list your skills and credentials. Don’t waste time listing your proficiency with Microsoft Word and similar widely used software. Who isn’t proficient with Microsoft Word? At this point, it is just assumed, so you don’t have to say it. You need to include skills and abilities that make you stand out from the competition, and listing Microsoft Word certainly won’t do that.
Also, there is no need to list every course or training session you have ever been to. Highlight the most important ones, the ones you think will most impress recruiters.
3. Having a less than flattering photo
A selfie really won’t cut it here. Neither will that picture of you at a pub hoisting a glass of beer. Your picture should be professional and of good quality.
If you are looking for work in the Anchorage area, Opti Staffing can help you find a job that fits your skills and experience. Opti is one of the leading staffing agencies in Anchorage. Give Opti a call today.