Jamie Ma: Topic 3: Developing an authentic online professional profile

Discuss the ways which an authentic online professional profile can be developed.

Due to globalisation, competition among companies are more intense, hence, they want to source for the best talents. Companies noticed that recruiting the right people is the key to success. To achieve that, companies look for talents online to reach out to more potential candidates globally.

Online Recruitment in China (cr: IResearchChina)

LinkedIn and blogs are platforms where a person can set up a professional profile.

I just signed up for LinkedIn and the only information I provide was my name, email, and school. It was very impressive as under the "People you may know" tab, they have listed profiles of whom I have contacted in the past. This shows how powerful LinkedIn is as I can connect with friends, bosses, or professors that I have lost contact with.

With reference to TheEmployable, I realised blogging is not simply an online diary but could be used to state professional opinions about the things you are interested in as well. Blogging can help us get employed because it allows the employer to know more about the candidate. The information on the CV or application form does not show the person's full potential. From a person's writing style, the employer can have a rough gauge of his personality, passion and abilities.

I agree with Michael Weiss that we have to brand ourselves to portray a desired image. Before that, the individual must be aware of his own strengths and weakness. Tips given by Mr. Weiss includes that a person should include the passion, and skills he have on his profile. For example, a link of the digital portfolio should be be included to showcase his works. . However, be mindful not to write too much bur focus on the interesting stuff only. These tips could be a check-list for my own professional profile.

On the other hand, I asked myself what expect from a person I would recruit. So here's my requirements:

Passion in the field related to the job
Could be very skilled, but never stops learning
Decent English
Presentable looks
Good management in time and stress
Good team player

Work Experience seems like a necessity for most companies , but I feel that potential in the candidate is more important as it can be developed through training and experience.

In conclusion, I feel that the most important point on setting up an online professional account is to be yourself. From the employer's point of view, I would prefer an employee who is genuinely passionate and motivated to work hard for the company; he may not possess the best skills or academic achievements. One should not try to impress employers by trying to deliberately fit into the companies culture. Otherwise, he would not be happy even if he is employed.