Personal branding is especially important when you are trying to stand out in this ever competitive job market. Optometry has focused mostly on utilizing social media for marketing practices in local communities. There are very few in the optometric field utilizing the power of social media for their careers.
Keys to using Social Media effectively in your job search
- Be personable, but professional.
- Don't make everything public. Make private anything you would not want a potential employer to see. As a recruiter I am looking for your social media presence online, and employers are doing it, too.
- Completely fill out your profile information if you want others to find and communicate with you.
- Showcase your skills, abilities, experience, and personality.
- Utilize customized URLs such as www.linkedin.com/in/mdkennedy or www.facebook.com/ETSvision.
- Ask others to add recommendations to your LinkedIn profile.
- Be an Active Participant in order to be noticed and recognized!
Helpful links to check out on this subject:
- The Online Resources You Must Use for Recruiters to Find You
- How to Use Social Media in Your Job Search
- Professional Branding
- Job-Hunt.org
Brief Overview of the Most Widely Used Networks:
LinkedIn.com
LinkedIn
is this best site for putting your professional brand on display for
potential employers. LinkedIn's sole purpose is for professional
networking. If you are in the market for a new opportunity or you simply
want your name to stand out there be sure to make your profile page
public. Completely fill out your profile. You can hide contact info, but
make sure you allow others to send you InMail and Connection Requests.
LinkedIn
is also going to serve you well in your research about a practice. You
can look up companies and groups where you can gain valuable insights
into an organization and the people who work there. Check out the American Academy of Optometry and the Pacific University - Oregon Company Page. Join in on discussions by answering questions others have or ask your own questions to start a discussion.
Facebook.com
Facebook
is the most well known, most widely used, but the least productive when
branding yourself. It's a better site for keeping up with personal
and/or private relationships. You could create a Facebook page for
yourself, but unless you are famous you should not go this route.
Example: www.facebook.com/ETSvision.
Twitter.com
Twitter
is a quick and easy way to share knowledge, ask questions, and build
your online presence in short snippets. 160 characters is all you get.
Engage others by replying, re-tweeting, and direct messaging. Beware
that Twitter is full of others who are constantly posting and it can get
very noisy. Engagement is key to successfully utilizing Twitter.
Example: www.twitter.com/ETSvision.
Blogging
Blogs
are the base where you can share the most information about yourself.
Use your blog to speak on subjects related to optometric practice
management, clinical procedures, vision tech, etc. Facebook, LinkedIn,
and Twitter are great ways to broadcast your blog posts. Sites to try:
WordPress.com, Blogger.com, Tumblr.com
About ETS Vision
ETS Vision is a recruiting firm that specializes in the search and placement of Optometrists and Ophthalmologists for independent practices across the country. Our commitment is to identify, recruit, and place world–class doctors with world–class eye care practices. That means we network with hundreds of potential prospects daily. As part of the MRINetwork™––the largest and most successful recruiting business in the world–we have the combined power of over 1,000 offices in more than 35 countries. This relationship allows us to provide the proven tools and techniques that it takes to understand our clients’ needs, partner with them and consistently deliver positive results. At ETS Vision, we are not in the business of just filling Optometrist jobs or Ophthalmologist jobs. Our focus is on fulfilling a long–term opportunity for the Eye Doctor Candidate and Eye Care practice.
If you’re ready for a change, call us today at (540) 491–9103 and visit www.etsvision.com to view current opportunities across the U.S.
