HOW TO BE FOUND IN SEARCH ENGINES

Increasingly search engines like Google and Bing are becoming the first destination of choice for companies and their search firms and human resource professionals when looking for people to recruit or vetting job candidates.


The chief dilemma for the job seeker is to how to make sure you can be found through search engines. Short of stardom and employing advertising, there are certain techniques you can employ to make sure you can be found and in a way that is controllable, professional and complementary.

1. Become part of social media platforms like Facebook, MySpace, Linkedin, Plaxo, Ning, etc. Employing platforms like these enable you to craft the type of profile that spotlights your professional career and equally important your professional and personal accomplishments. Be sure to target those platforms that fit with your profession and your personal brand.

2. Take control of third party web-based databases. These would include but are not limited to www.zoominfo.com, www.spoke.com, www.jigsaw.com, www.spokeo.com, etc. Many of these sites allow you to take ownership of your profile and manage the content. Make sure to delete errors or mistakes that could derail your consideration.

3. Establish a showcase on www.slideshare.com. Slideshare is a fabulous and rich content site on which you can upload presentations. In this case, what you will do is produce a PowerPoint presentation about you not unlike a C.V. You can include your resume, links and URLs to your web content, expanded accomplishments, academic credentials, professional photos and video, publications and other career information that help you tell a compelling story about you as a brand and as a professional. And you can be as creative as you want and need. Remember this is a multimedia medium where you need not spare any expense. Include enough information to tell your story. Last but not least, incorporate your Slideshare profile within your profile on www.linkedin.com, both of which are included in search engine results.

4. Highlight your career on www.visualCV.com. VisualCV portrays itself as “Your resume, only better.” VisualCV is customizable and can serve as a resume, online professional profile, business development tool or mini website. And to top it off, just like Slideshare, it is included in Google search engine results.

5. Don’t forget about Google. Build a Google profile. Yes Google gives you the ability to have a profile. If you already have a Google or Gmail account, a Google profile is the next step. Just go to www.google.com/profiles. Google provides the ability to include basic information about who, what, why, where and when. You can also include information on where you live or have lived, your web links, personal and professional interests, education, employers and aliases. Best of all, the profile is included in search.

6. Become an active Twitterer! Yes I realize this seems strange because you really care not to daily Tweet your food choices. Well don’t. Instead, employ Twitter as a strategic tool to add value to the knowledge stream on the web. If you are an expert or thought leader on a particular topic or topics then provide a steady stream of pithy and helpful commentary that enlightens and entertains. Twitter is actively searched in most search engines.

7. If you have a passion, blog!!! If you want to be recognized for something and develop a following, blogging can be a useful device. In fact, if you have a passion, blogging is a natural. But the key word is “passion.” If you are a thought leader or expert on something let people know and become recognized for your knowledge an enthusiasm. http://wordpress.com and http://blogspot.com are both useful and free platforms to express yourself. Get busy!

8. Get engaged with your communities! Do you belong to industry or professional groups? If you do and are not engaged, consider getting involved. Join a committee, run for an office or board position, volunteer for an event. Often times being a part of a group that is doing worthwhile things can attract attention.