Some of the best jobs that come our way are never advertised. Some research states that more than half of all jobs that are filled are staffed with people that had some type of connection to the person looking to fill that job. Establishing an effective online profile can lead people to you and your skills.  There are many popular social and professional networking sites. Setting up the right type of profile is crucial to establishing a presence and drawing the attention of hiring managers.

Don’t lie. It rarely pays to exaggerate ones skills on a resume or a profile. If you claim certain skills and cannot perform them on a new job, you may not last very long at that employer. The key in a profile, as in a resume, is to highlight past successes or demonstrated skills to show value to an employer. Reviewing past accomplishments may take some practice but these items come in handy for resumes and even negotiating a raise during a performance appraisal at a current job.

Match your profile to your personality and your goals. Many networking sites have spots for a personal portraitor “head-shot”. A professional may wear a suit and tie in their picture if that is how they dress on the job and people recognize them in this attire. In contrast an artist or designer may have a much more casual picture highlighting tattoos or facial piercings. At the least, their clothing would match their personal or professional style which is most likely different than a Wall Street Executive.

Establishing a strong online presence can be a path to landing jobs. Choosing the options that suit you and your goals is the key.