Get noticed by building an online persona

Get noticed by building an online persona

Employers are realizing that what people do online can actually prove their value as potential hires. It shows that you are passionate about what you do. It shows thatyou would like to help others. It can also show that you know your stuff. I often find my book reviewers through their online persona -- i.e. blogs & forums. There are a number of ways to build your online persona.

1. Building a LinkedIn profile -- http://www.linkedin.com/. Many recruiters go to LinkedIn to search for potential candidates. More and more business professionals are using social networks to build relationships, meet new contacts, and market themselves. Joining a network like LinkedIn is simple, but turning it into a powerful networking tool takes a bit of time. Google "why use LinkedIn" to get started and for good tips. What ever you learnt from the "Java/JEE Resume Companion" can be applied here too.
2. Building your own blog. Blogs are about creating your own brand. Your blog should be informative, unique, and help others. You can get started with your blog at http://www.blogspot.com/, http://wordpress.org/, http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/wp-e-commerce/. Here are some examples that I came across -- http://jenkov.com/, http://javapapers.com/, etc. With so many blogs created, here are some tips to market your blog -- http://www.toprankblog.com/2006/06/25-tips-for-marketing-your-blog/
3. Mentoring others at forums like http://www.coderanch.com/forums. Also remember that by helping others, you will learn from others' issues and problems to fast-forward your career.
4. Contributing articles and short discussions at http://java.dzone.com/.
5. Setup a http://www.google.com/alerts on topics that interests you. As a custodian and author of your blog or website, you'll definitely want to be on top of news and happenings that interest you and your blog.
6. Publishing books have never been easier with the advent of Print On Demand (POD) publishing companies like http://www.lulu.com/ and https://www.createspace.com/. You will also learn on the subject matter by writing books as you have to do lots of research on it. If the book is good, you can also earn a small passive income from the sales.
7. Building a programming portfolio to stand out -- http://grok-code.com/58/the-power-of-a-programming-portfolio/, http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/299911/ho...ective_programming.html?cat=31, etc.
8. Make your blogs and websites easily searchable through SEO (Search Engine Optimization) -- http://webdesign.about.com/od/seo/tp/seo_tips_and_tricks.htm
9. If you are selling books or certification resources, use google adwords to promote your products and services -- http://www.google.com/adwords.
10. If you want to include advertisements in your blog, use http://www.google.com/adsense.

You never know. With some clever ideas, you can open more doors and opportunities for yourself. You can turn your followers into clients or employers. You can meet influential people. You can also go places. Get that thinking cap on.