Blog Post: Using the Internet to Sell Yourself After the Interview

I know for Managers and Directors, it's a tough job market.  There are few job postings and each posting generates millions and millions (well, maybe hundreds and hundreds) of responses.  So if you're lucky enough to be one of the privileged few to get an interview, don't stop selling yourself at the end of the interview.

Today, with so many qualified candidates for every job opening, employers usually "google" (search) for more information on the management candidates they are considering hiring.

After searching, employers usually find one of the following:

•    no information
•    "just the facts" information
•    information that turns them off that candidate
•    information that gets them more excited about the candidate

  
Let's look at how the first one could be interpreted.  No information doesn't help the job candidate's cause and could actually hurt, depending upon the interviewer and job position.  Remember, what you don't say and don't do says as much about you as what you actually do.  Having no Internet presence could say that you are at worst technologically challenged, and at best technologically unaware.  It could also indicate a lack of creativity and energy regarding your job search, neither of which is a positive message to potential employers.  There are many well known ways to "brand" yourself online (covered later) so not using one could also send the message that you don't think enough of your skills to have created an online profile.  And think about your competition for the job.  Your main competitor for the position could have an Internet presence that helps both remind the interviewer of his/her strengths, and contain positive information that did not come out in the interview.

That is why I highly recommend using a site, such as www.linkedin.com to create your professional online profile.  Linkedin is a professional networking site that allows you to connect to other professionals you know who also have linkedin profiles.  This is what I call "just the facts" information.  The information here will coincide very much with your resume, but you will be able to expand on the information beyond the one page limit for resumes.  If you have a linkedin profile, when your potential (future?) employer "googles" you, you will have an Internet presence.  This should reinforce the positive interview.  Best of all, the site is SEO (search engine optimized) so it should show up within the first few result pages of a search.

While professional networks can help you, social networking sites can hurt you.  Facebook, Myspace, Bebo, etc. should be avoided.  Even if you control your own content, your networked friends' sites are only one click away, and clicking is just what your potential employer will do.  What better way to get insight to the "real" you than by seeing who you hang out with online.  This is where a site like Linkedin helps even more.  Your whole network will link to web pages where your friends and contacts will be promoting their work life.  Here they will post pictures of themselves in work attire, not at a goth concert.  And remember, your future employer is going to judge you by the company you keep, so "connect" to some impressive individuals.

Lastly, you can also post information that could get a potential employer more excited about you.  One way is to start a blog.  As an example, go to my non-jobing blog site, Effective Workplace Training (workreadiness.blogspot.com).  In this blog I post my opinions on how to properly conduct workplace training that changes attitudes and modifies behaviors.  My approach is different than the vast majority of other workplace trainers who use the education approach which is centered on assessment testing.  In an interview I may get to talk a few minutes about this, but after reading my blogs, my potential employer may see a greater separation between myself and other candidates (and could even result in them asking other candidates questions based on the information in my blogs). 

I have two additional points regarding blogs.  If you are using your blog to help brand or sell yourself, don't be political or controversial.  Just use the blog to showcase your knowledge, accomplishments and professional opinions.  Also, place a link to your blog on your linkedin profile.  Google's free blog service can be found at www.blogger.com

In addition to this approach working post-interview, it also works with networking.  You may only get time to present your 30 second "elevator" speech to generate interest in you, but if you have an effective speech, you could be "googled" and your Internet presence, rather than supporting your interview, could actually spark interest.

I hope this was helpful.  See you in my next blog.

Jay Goldberg is the author of the book, "How to Get, Keep and Be Well Paid in a Job" (book's web site) and is currently conducting live one-hour webinars on topics ranging from work readiness, to sales skills, to customer service skills, to entrepreneurship to management and more.  Check out his webinar schedule here.  His web site is www.dtrconsulting.biz.