When looking for a job or preparing your profiles for the job search, it’s important to learn how to market yourself online. While you need to be as honest as possible, there are small tweaks and online marketing strategy tips you can use to make yourself stand out.

Marketing yourself online basically consists of using online websites and social media to the best of your abilities. You always want to do your best to highlight your strengths – on and offline. Here are some best practices for marketing yourself online in an effective, authentic way.

Add some honest praise

On many sites, especially LinkedIn, there are places to include praise and recommendations. Use these features to your advantage! Since these are outside recommendations, they’re more likely to be honest, effective, and impressive. When a potential employer or organization sees that you come highly recommended, they feel more at ease and therefore, they’re more likely to call you in for the interview. When they see that past employers and clients have been pleased with your work, it gives them a type of reassurance. Testimonials and reviews of your past work are excellent ways to market yourself – be proactive in asking for them and keeping them up to date.

Be descriptive

You have a lot of room on social media sites and profiles to write about your job, community, volunteer, and organization history and accomplishments. You’ll want to use this space to the best of your ability and be as descriptive as possible. Give an example of a job task and make it sound professional. Additionally, include measurable data and metrics if possible. Always include descriptions that make you stand out, and that goes doubly if you can include numbers to support your work.

Be on the right sites

If you want a certain type of job or work environment, be in the right online places! If you want to work from home, use sites such as HireMyMom.com to find reputable home-based careers. There are numerous industry-specific job search and forum sites, so be sure that you’re on them providing value and getting your name out there. In addition to job sites, be sure that you’re on the right social networks. LinkedIn is great for the professional realm, while Facebook is still #1. Keep them all professional and updated as much as possible. When you’re marketing yourself online, you want to show that you’re capable of the current technologies while providing knowledge and value to your audience.

When it doubt, ask

Being proactive is an excellent way to market yourself online. If you see an organization or job position that would suit you, don’t be afraid to ask or inquire further. Part of getting the jobs and opportunities we desire is putting ourselves out there. Most of the time, the best job positions and opportunities aren’t listed online, which means reaching out gives you a great chance for success! Take the time to craft an effective email to organizations that you’d like to work for, all while showing them why you deserve the job. All of your work on the tips above will ensure that you’re ready for this final step!
Check out these other great articles about home-based jobs as a work from home professional. Also check out our home-based job descriptions and current job postings for mom professionals.
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