Reboot your job search

Want to make a career change? Linkedin’s Catherine Fisher lays down the law on online etiquette.

During my tenure as Linkedin’s senior director of corporate communications, I’ve seen how social media has levelled the playing field for everyone – you’re not waiting to be asked for your CV, you’re building your professional brand now. Here are three ways to stand out.

1Choose your platform I always recommend crosspromoting your work across different social media channels, but what and where you post matters. Your Linkedin profile should represent how you want to be seen as a professional; Facebook and Instagram are more personal. But remember: once you put something out there, it’s out there. Before I tweet, I think, ‘Would I want my boss to see this?’

2Share your industry smarts If you’re not showing off what you’re doing, you’re not as marketable as your peers who are out there offering their perspective. Post about something in your field that you truly have an opinion on. It can be as easy as liking someone’s status, sharing a story or more in-depth like writing a blog. I saw one Linkedin post by a shopping cart professional (yes, that’s a whole industry!). It didn’t get a million views, but it did resonate with that small network. Managers are looking for people with that kind of impact.

3Avoid fluffy language I see these all the time – and they just sound meaningless. • Instead of “I am creative,” say “I won a prestigious marketing award for my work on the company’s breast cancer campaign.” • Instead of “I’m a problem solver,” say “I solved my company’s inventory issue by implementing a tracking system.” • Instead of “I’m responsible,” say “I was recognised for never missing a deadline.” Be specific. This is your chance to shine!