Have you prepared references, revised your cover letter, and customized your resume? One more crucial area that you should prepare for before beginning your job hunt is your internet presence, notably your social media accounts.

Finding information on almost everyone is simple thanks to the internet. 63 percent of recruiters say they look at job applicants' social media. What can a potential employer, recruiter, or inquisitive coworker find out about you on social media? What can you do to make sure the data they receive appropriately reflects your professional profile? We can offer you some advice and best practices.

Developing Your Personal Brand

A bit of a buzzword in the world of job searching is personal branding. And with good cause. In today's internet-dominated world, it often doesn't matter how well-presented your resume is if potential employers uncover negative information about you online. Keep in mind that a recruiter needs to obtain a rapid impression of you in order to assess how you will fit into the culture of the organization. Make sure your personal branding always conveys that you'll be a fantastic team member!

1. Know what's available

Do a reality check before claiming to have a flawless web reputation. It's preferable for you to find out now rather than waiting to learn about anything from someone else because things have a habit of sliding between the gaps. At the very least, you won't be surprised, and you might be able to get the offensive image or reference deleted. Jennifer Lee Magas, a former English professor at Fairfield University and the vice president of communications at Magas Media Consultants, LLC, encourages people to "take charge of your digital identity." Magas offers the following tips on how to do this:

• Do a thorough Google and Bing search for your name.
• Put your name in quotations after that, and repeat.
• By adjusting the security settings on social media platforms you control, including Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, you can safeguard your online personas.
• You can control who can access your information on these sites by using the privacy settings.
• You can put people together, such as business relationships, on Facebook using "Lists" and on Twitter by using "guard your tweets."'
• To receive notifications when you are referenced online, set up a Google Alert. You can access tools that let you unlist a page from Google Search or get in touch with Google directly by creating a Google+ profile.

2. Recruit Support from Others

"Dislike" is the junior high photo of you that your mother loves to upload. You don't want a recruiter to see that outrageous costume you wore to a party last Halloween, do you? Inform your loved ones that you're working to uphold your professional reputation in order to advance your career. They will probably take down the photographs and promise not to post any more like them once they have finished rolling their eyes at you for being overly sensitive. You do have some options through Google if you can't find the source or it's on a website whose owner you can't find. While they can't erase the image itself, they may make it more difficult to find the information by removing it from search engines.

3. Be Energetic

Last but not least, keep in mind that going offline can sometimes be risky. Instead of hiding totally, think about creating distinct social media profiles for your business and yourself. Maintaining a private personal brand will help your professional brand stand out. If you're worried that your image won't fully reflect your career goals, creating separate accounts dedicated to networking and career growth is a great solution.

Google also favors newly created material. Create brand-new images that help hide that outdated content if you can't persuade someone to delete an old picture. Utilize LinkedIn to highlight your professional expertise, and Twitter or Facebook to highlight your extracurricular activities, hobbies, or volunteer work. Hiring managers seek out individuals with a wide range of skills!

Make a plan for your personal brand.

Make sure that you're not just playing defense when it comes to your online profile. Determine the message you want your branding to convey, and then deliberately build it. Do you enjoy volunteering, the environment, and animals? Do you want to join the six-month waiting list of web designers? Do you want to be the go-to person for advice on marketing small businesses? Maybe you want to be known as a dynamic team player who inspires the group with your enthusiasm and passion for spreadsheets.

Whatever your objective, spend some time considering what you want your brand to say about you and how you expect it will impact your long-term professional objectives. Once you know the answers, you can start building your professional presence by safeguarding your social media profiles, networking on LinkedIn, and participating in Twitter discussions about your sector. Consider creating a portfolio website or blogging as a guest on authoritative websites to position yourself as an industry authority when people search.