The importance of online presence for jobseekers

MANILA, Philippines — Employers and recruiting departments today extensively utilize various online platforms to find information about prospective employees. Prior to actual job interviews, employers often conduct online background searches to initially assess a candidate.

According to leading employment portal, JobStreet Philippines, hiring managers get a better grasp of a candidate’s personality and capabilities by looking at their online presence. It’s a way of humanizing a potential employee­– something you have control over if you manage your social media pages and personal website well to showcase your best professional self.

Candidates who own a creative and professional looking personal website also have an added edge in showcasing their skills and specializations to potential employers and interested parties. In addition, having a website is more dynamic than the usual written resume, and can showcase one’s knowledge in their area of expertise and in website creation and design technologies.

Here are some tips for creating and maintaining a professional personal website:

• Choose the website design that best reflects you as an individual and as a professional. Remember that your website speaks a lot about you as a person, so find a happy medium that showcases both your personality and your professional capabilities.

• Update your website content with new information and experiences. Add information about new courses, programs, projects completed and training you have attended and completed, to highlight your ongoing professional development. This way, prospective employers can see your initiatives and quickly assess your value to their current needs and projects.

• Use blogs to help you connect with people and organizations you share interests with. Doing so also connects you to prospective employers and also shows you can be considered as a thought leader in your field.

Building and maintaining a personal website takes work, creativity, and some elbow grease to keep it fresh. But all that effort can help to pay off in more ways than one when it comes to landing the interest of potential employers.

“Websites have become more than just platforms for people and business. Today, websites have evolved to define the individual’s brand, lifestyle, and career potential through effective design and content,” said Tina Shieh, marketing director for GoDaddy Asia. “Having your own website gives you the ability to control your own content and highlight your strengths, experiences and achievements.  With GoDaddy Websites + Marketing you can easily get started creating your personal website to help you achieve your goals.”