7:26 pm - Wed, Apr 18, 2012

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Job Hunting Tips from Beyonce’s Tumblr

Earlier this month Beyonce unveiled her brand-new Tumblr page, and to the delight of bloggers, news outlets, and fans across the web, provided never-before-seen insights into the megastar’s personal life. Praised as a PR coup, and an example of how celebrities can successfully control their digital presence, Beyonce’s Tumblr can teach job hunters in the digital age how to best present themselves online.

You Must Not Know ‘Bout Me…

Employers today have unprecedented access to potential job candidates’ lives. A major part of the hiring process involves judging whether you will be a good fit with the company for which you interview, and this extends beyond the qualifications listed on your resume. In the same way candidates research companies online, recruiters are Googling names, checking out Linkedin and Facebook profiles, and seeing what you Tweet or leave in comments sections.

So how do we as job hunters manage and exploit this exposure online? The same way #1 worldwide superstar, Beyonce does - by taking back and controlling her privacy.

Beyonce selectively chooses the images and content she publishes within her social network. In doing so she is able to showcase her passions, interests, and character on her own terms in a platform she controls. 

In the same way, a job candidate can control his or her appearance online by shaping the images and content he or she shares in a manner that shines the best light on their personality, interests, and work ethic. 

Here are ways job hunters can Beyoncify their online presence:

Let ‘Em See Your Halo

Be selective in what you share. Your friends and colleagues may know that you’re an intelligent hard-worker who knows when to work and when to party, but there is little to no context or distinction online.  

Beyonce supplements her public persona digitally by posting images and videos on her Tumblr that speak to her personal, intimate side. She softens the diva powerhouse she presents on-stage with pictures of herself in a more intimate setting: without makeup, hanging out with her sister, and cuddling with husband Jay-Z.

(via Beyonce Tumblr)

While job hunting, think about how you want to be perceived to potential employers. As great as it is to show friends your video of your 2 minute keg-stand, there are more valuable aspects of your personality you should share. Beyonce could show us pictures of her various magazine shoots, private jet flights, etc.,  but instead chooses to exhibit the personal life that the public does not see. 

It’s a given that you should purge your social profiles’ public settings of certain inappropriate images and content, but you should also take the opportunity to highlight your passions and interests. Take a cue from Beyonce and show employer’s what you do outside of work and the things you are passionate about: volunteer opportunities, hobbies, things you are reading/writing/building/coding.

I Swear It Is Deja Vu

Be consistent and authentic across your social profiles. Different social platforms have different environments and cultures in terms of communication, purpose, and use. Your Twitter network may have a #hashtag joke chain going, your Linkedin a discussion on local marketing, your Pinterest filled with BBQ recipes. The key is to show your best self on  each network where your name is attached. It is ideal to be true to your opinions and tastes while being vigilant of how that appears in the eyes of potential employers. 

Although new to the social web, Beyonce stays consistent with her public image while adding an element of authenticity when shedding light on her personal life. The images she chooses to share on Tumblr (a platform suited for easily shared pictures and videos) reflect her values and personal voice. The images originate either from her own perspective or are candids taken of her. She makes sure that her Tumblr page exhibits how she lives, but from a different perspective.

Across the social networks where job hunters are active, it is important to retain the same, original voice. As a rule of thumb, in wherever social network your name is attached, make sure to stay consistent when sharing your opinions and tastes.

This isn’t to say that you can’t share the Double Rainbow Guy video on Twitter, while limiting your discussions on Linkedin to only things business related. But if you are looking to break into a new industry or company, you should show some shared interest in what they specialize. 

As mentioned before, different social networks have separate purposes, and are used as such. However, by adding consistency throughout social profiles you can show a potential employer looking for more information about you that you have a strong interest in their industry. For example, you could pin a clever viral marketing ad on Pinterest to show your marketing interest, in addition to the apparel and recipes you already have on there. Another example: in addition to the cat pictures and Hunger Games gifs, add some articles from NYTimes that speak to your shared interests on Tumblr.

Make Them Put a Ring on It

Continue to add and show your value in your social profiles. Social platforms are for the majority designed as tools for communication. You use them to keep in touch with friends, family, colleagues, etc., and share your life and perspective. When job hunting, they can and should also be used as tools that show your value. You know that employers are searching for information about you online, so give them information that shows how you can help them.

The value in Beyonce’s Tumblr comes from her sharing a piece of her life that nobody but her has access. Her public presence apart from her concert tours, music videos, and select interviews are so private (see her Twitter account), or manufactured, that the glimpse that her Tumblr provides is highly valued. 

We as job hunters should find a way to show our value to employers. Recruiters are looking for qualified and well fitting candidates to join their organizations. So one way to show value is to make it easy for them to see how you would be a good fit and to show your qualifications. You can accomplish this by sharing content that their team is interested in or working on. You can show your qualifications by posting a project you are working on or have accomplished. 

In the digital age, we increasingly give up our privacy in order to access and exploit the networks that keep us connected (Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, Tumblr, etc.). It’s the cultural price we pay to stay close to our family, friends, colleagues, acquaintances (and stalk exes and strangers). However, job hunters should manage the exposure received from social networks to leverage their online presence to potential employers.

Beyonce’s Tumblr grants visitors access into her personal life on her own terms, sharing the details she controls, while remaining true to what she stands for. While we all aren’t able to be the best performer in the world, we can take a page out of her book and put our best selves out there online.