Your digital footprint, also known as the online trail you leave on various forms of digital communication, is very important when it comes to presenting yourself to potential employers. How does yours represent you? Will it have a positive or negative effect on your reputation? When searching for your next job, recruiters and hiring managers will seek out your profiles online to help them determine if you’re a good candidate. You can put your best online foot forward with the help of these suggestions from Engineering Search Partners.

The best way to track your digital footprint is by first typing your name into a Google search. What do you see? If you need to up your Internet ante, here are four ways you can start managing your digital footprint.

• Make sure your online and offline personas match. If you’re passionate about forensic engineering or environmental science, make sure your profiles accurately depict those facts. Comb through your Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and Google+ pages to create pages congruous to your goals – which are maintaining a specific appearance online.
• Be sure your LinkedIn profile is complete, up to date, and compelling. Tell your story in such a way that people are engaged and want to learn more about you and what you do. Participate regularly in the Linkedin Professional Group that you feel helps you to develop relationships with your peers.
• If you are comfortable  “marketing yourself” then expand your web presence and if you don’t already have a website, consider getting one with a URL that has your first name and last name. This step will help your site show up higher in search engines when a potential employer searches for your name. Set your LinkedIn URL (as well as other social networks) to be linkedin.com/firstandlastname to help buoy those search results even more.
• Become a credible resource in your desired field. Participate in online discussions and digital communities that are related to the field you want to be found for. Additionally, if your new website has a blog, start blogging on topics that are related to your desired field.

Managing your digital footprint is no longer an option when it comes to searching for a job – it’s essential. By taking these steps, you’re on your way to putting your best foot forward, digitally speaking. Once you’re ready to find your dream engineering job, contact us to help you find the perfect fit.

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