Practically every defense professional has some form of digital footprint. Whether it’s social media activity, personal websites, online resumes, or anything similar, all of that information helps build a picture of who you are as a defense candidate or employee. As a result, it’s critical to cultivate the right image, ensuring you can make the most of your positioning.
Whether you’re preparing to fill out online job applications or simply want to ensure that your digital footprint makes the best possible impression, you need to take action. Here are some tips for effectively managing and curating your digital footprint to ensure it supports your defense career.
Manage Your Existing Digital Footprint
Before you take any other step, it’s critical to assess your existing digital footprint. Determine what information about you is publicly accessible, including social media accounts, online resumes, stored job applications, and any other relevant source.
As you find accounts and content, you need to make decisions regarding what should stay and what shouldn’t. Delete social media posts, images, or accounts that don’t give the right impression, and unfriend anyone that may be controversial. Set your personal accounts to “private” to limit access.
Remove old resumes or stored job applications, particularly if they are searchable by recruiters. That ensures that out-of-date information is what recruiters or hiring managers see if they look you up online.
Curate Your Updated Digital Footprint
Once you’ve managed your existing digital footprint, it’s time to update it. Begin by optimizing your LinkedIn profile. Select an appropriately professional profile picture and background photo. Update your headline to discuss your value, integrating keywords that align with your current job and are relevant to roles further up the career ladder. Use the summary to tell your professional story, showcasing achievements in a keyword-rich way, and refresh your skills list for increased relevancy.
If you’re posting an online resume on your personal website or uploading a searchable one on job boards, you’ll need to create a balance between targeted and broad. Examine a few job listings that align with what you’d hope to land next as a defense candidate and find commonalities. Then, create your resume to address those points. By doing so, your resume is semi-targeted without speaking directly to a single hiring manager or recruiter, broadening the overall appeal.
Next, work on establishing a strong personal brand. Use publicly-viewable social media posts to highlight your perspective and achievements. Engage in groups to showcase your expertise and support others in your field. Follow thought leaders to stay on top of trends, giving you new information to consider or discuss in the future.
For online job applications specifically, set up alerts on job boards to notify you of openings that align with your needs and priorities. When you apply, make sure to target the content as much as the platform allows, suggesting it doesn’t change what’s present in previously submitted versions. Additionally, be achievement-oriented and use relevant keywords, all while quantifying the details to provide context.
Ultimately, having a strong digital footprint is wise in today’s landscape. If you’re looking for a new position in the defense industry, the Staffing Resource Group can simplify your search by providing access to exciting job opportunities with leading defense employers. Apply Today and SuRGe your career forward.
