When it comes to moving forward in your career, your first impression online can either make or break your career opportunities. Today, if you’re looking to change jobs or careers, your first impression online is much more important than it’s ever been.

Picture this, you’ve found your dream job and have written an awesome application and your resume is right on the money. You are the perfect match for that job! The application deadline has passed and you still haven’t heard from the HR department. You begin to get a little frustrated because the job is a sure fit and just right for you. It has your name written all over it!

A couple of days after the deadline has passed you pick up the phone and call the hiring manager. You get them on the phone, only to hear that someone else has landed the job. How come? How come they didn’t even call you in for an interview?

When it comes to your career your first impression online is more important than your real-life first impression.

The reason hits you right in the face. The hiring manager tells you that your application and your resume was great but during their research, they’d come across something you’d posted online, that didn’t align with the company values.

That’s why they didn’t call you in for an interview.

Now, this is just a thought example. But I’ve had people contact me and sharing their frustration about not being invited in for interviews. And guess what the first thing I do, when I get emails like that is…

Yep! You guessed it (I’m sure you did).

I’m heading straight to Google, just like any recruiter, headhunter, or hiring professional does when they are doing their research on prospects and candidates.

It doesn’t matter whether it’s concerning your career or dating life. Your first impression online defines, on a much larger scale, how your first impression is to people that don’t know you

It’s what you’ve posted in the past, that will come back and haunt you in the future

Wayne Denner, Online Reputation Expert

Make a Great First Impression Online With Career Branding

The best way you can take complete ownership of your online presence, and how your first impression online will be when a recruiter or any other hiring professional type your name into Google, is to be proactive and build a strong and authentic career brand.

But Niels – Where do I start? How do I that?

You know what, I’m really glad you asked 😉

Here are 5 steps to help you get started

#1 – Claim Your Name
My best advice to you is to go straight to Bluehost or any other hosting service and claim your personal website domain, yourname.whatever.

#2 – Set Your Career GPS
What are your career goals? Spend some time figuring out what you want for your career and how you want your colleagues, clients, and customers to talk about you when you’re not around. This is an important step in order to get the right brand message out there.

#3 – Set Up Your Career Website
Many hosting services have a ‘one-click’ set up for WordPress which I recommend you build your career website in.

#4 – Start Sharing your knowledge
Once your website is up and running you start sharing what you know through writing blog posts. Every single post you write will become an opening for someone to find you online based on a topic you’re passionate about professionally. Therefore you’ll attract new people to your network that share your professional interests.

#5 – Download my Career Website Quick Guide
My quick guide will outline the steps you need to take, what pages you should have on your website, and where to find awesome designs. All made to take the overwhelm out of setting up your career website.

Final Thoughts on Your First Impression Online

There’s no doubt that your online presence and brand have a significant impact on the kind of career opportunities you’ll get moving forward.

If your online presence doesn’t align with the values of the company you’re applying at, then you’ll go into no-go pile faster than you can spell no.

So do yourself the favor of making sure your online reputation won’t hurt your future career opportunities and do a Google search putting your name in the search because that’s what a hiring professional will do when they get your resume.

Then, take the career brand assessment and start building your career brand and start attracting opportunities your way.

If you want more inspiration like this, then drop your name and best email down below, then I’ll make sure you get my best career and personal leadership tips in your inbox.

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