What people say about you….

What people say about you can be more important than what you say about yourself. Professional business references are among the most powerful tools you have in your quest for a new job or career change. Your Indianapolis job search must begin with the accumulation of solid references from professionals who can enthusiastically support your skills, experience, capabilities and even more so, your character. No one wants to hire someone who does not have strong support from those who have worked with them before. Getting other people to talk about you (positively) is the best way to convince a hiring manager that you are also a quality individual that will contribute much more to the company than simple work product.

Entry level jobs do not require the same skills and experience as Executive jobs in Indianapolis (or anywhere for that matter), but they DO both require that you have other people who are willing to back up your ability to do the job and do it well. Call any headhunter or staffing firm in Indianapolis for help in your job search and one of the first things they will request from you are professional references. That said, before you call your local recruiter for help with your Indianapolis job search, you should check their references as well. A little research online can go a long way in finding out what people are saying (or not saying) about you or others.

The access to information about most everything and anyone on the Internet is something to be very conscious of but not afraid of. Use this mechanism to your advantage in your career search. How? First you have to manage your online brand by checking out what comes up when you search on yourself. If nothing comes up, that can be as worrisome as if your late night inebriated tweets come up. If you don’t exist in the vast universe of the Internet and you are looking for a sales or business development job or a management position that requires deep expertise in a particular area, you have some work to do on your online brand. Complete that LinkedIn profile and connect with professionals who know you well and start building that list of recommendations and referrals. Clean up your Facebook page to ensure that when stumbled upon, it is not in direct conflict with the image you are working hard to create.

So, as you are preparing for you Indianapolis job search, before you send that resume or plan your attire for your interview, get a handle on what people are saying about you and how you plan to manage it. Gather those great references and complete your online professional profiles by adding references. Then get out there and share it.