“With the digital age upon us, having a professional, thorough and accurate LinkedIn profile can very easily be the difference between securing an interview and having your application discarded. Ask yourself, ‘would I apply to my dream job with a print out of my LinkedIn profile? If the answer is ‘no’, then you need to adjust your profile to meet this standard.” Oriana Garcia, Consultant, has concisely summarized what so many job seekers wonder about finding a job today. The reality is that, with the availability of online information, recruiters have increasingly pivoted to that sphere in order to find their next star candidate. As such, there are things you should consider to make yourself more marketable in the digital age.

Travis Usher, Consultant, stresses the importance of carefully monitoring and maintaining your online presence. “It’s integral to have an accurate, up-to-date, and professional LinkedIn profile. One of the first things I do before meeting a new candidate is investigate his or her LinkedIn profile. First impressions matter, and LinkedIn is your perpetual first impression and resume to the world. Treat it as such.”

While the focus is certainly on LinkedIn, it cannot be understated that social media goes beyond just your LinkedIn profile. A recruiter will actively search for an online presence and always bear in mind that posts from other social media platforms may surface. Usher cautions everyone to “consider the costs versus benefits of posting a picture of your ninth shot of tequila, or, keep your accounts private.”

Once your LinkedIn profile is up-to-date, and fixed up to professional standard, consider ways to make your profile more visible to a recruiter. “Create affinity between your actual job title and your dream job title. Always remember that LinkedIn is a sourcing tool for any recruiter looking to generate the most interesting candidates via key words and directly through job titles,” notes Josée St-Amour, Managing Consultant. “Increase your visibility by joining several groups and follow organizations.  It will foster more interaction with other LinkedIn members.”

So much of recruitment in the 21st century comes down to an online presence. If you’re looking to get yourself headhunted, or are just interested in hearing about opportunities, make sure you clean up your LinkedIn and other social media profiles. Catching the eye of a recruiter can be so easy if you just take these few steps to get yourself ahead of the curve.