The cornerstone of an effective job search is your resume and  LinkedIn Profile. But your overall social media presence conveys to  prospective employers a much bigger picture of you. Your personal brand comprises your reputation and professional qualities that differentiate you from other candidates and people in your field.

Before you start building your personal brand on social media, you need to identify your target audience. Who is your ideal social media visitor? Just like a resume needs to reflect your targeted role and demonstrate how it is the next logical step in your career path, so does your personal brand. That means first knowing who your target audience is:

• What geographic location do you want to work in?
• What position do you want to hold?
• What is your ideal industry?

Become a student of job postings. They are a treasure trove of information about what keywords to capture and convey in crafting your personal brand content. Everything from skill sets, education, and certifications is raw content material.

Create a list of the Top 10 companies you want to work for, who the ideal contact person is (LinkedIn is ideal for doing this), and what challenges do they face for which your background is the ideal solution.

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