From LinkedIn to WeChat, your online professional presence is important.

In the social media era a good CV or company presentation is not enough anymore to catch the attention and show your professional skills. Now having an online presence is important for many careers and, by having a professional one, you show best your position on the labor market.

From social media to websites, from job boards to professional platforms, the choice is wide, here two of the best tools to enhance your visibility in China: welcome to the world of LinkedIn and WeChat.

One of the main professional network of the web, LinkedIn, is becoming increasingly important. Registration is as simple as entering the requested data; the profile, to be interesting and appear in searches, must be clear, complete and consistent in all its sections. If the profile meets these requirements it can become an immediate channel to get in touch with the market.

Your LinkedIn profile is just as important as your paper CV but it’s not only that…

With your LinkedIn profile you become part of a network. Together with your professional skills you have to explain who you are, your experiences and your passions, just like you would do as member of a community. Help your contacts to remember you showing your face with a professional photo and customize your URL to make your profile more professional and easy to share, turning it into something as simple as: http://www.linkedin.com/in/namesurname

The tagline (the line of text under your name) is the first thing people see in your profile. Enter your job title or an important keyword for your industry and avoid vague or invented titles. 

Once your profile is ready is time to go social! Sharing, commenting, advising and writing on specific topics close to your profession shows interest and expertise: keep your profile active! You can also enrich your publications with images, short videos and/or links, or tag people on your network to improve the engagement of your contacts. Add value to your profile asking for a report from the contacts you've worked with. Connect with people, businesses, or groups. Identify influencers and industry groups of your interest so you can stay up-to-date on topics, be able to take part in discussions and broaden your knowledge. 

In China, like LinkedIn, the more popular WeChat also has its own unique features that can help you to enhance your personal online presence. With the increase of WeChat users, its use has gradually expanded, becoming an effective real-time communication tool for work, but also an important information and feedback online platform. A good management of WeChat work groups is fundamental to improve your visibility and professional image.

How to present your professional image in WeChat work groups? Tips here:

• Don’t post any non-work-related information in a work group
• Use a suitable profile photo, a professional head shot or an avatar avoiding cartoons or vulgar pictures.
• Once you join a professional group, set your nickname as your real name, position and company.
• In case of a specific question, address (@) the message directly to the person in charge
• Use text instead of voice messages as much as possible
• Do not post in the group detailed discussion on a complex content, send an email first to relevant persons and communicate in the group only the necessary information.
• If you need to confirm a matter of urgency, it is best to communicate by telephone after the publishing of the message in the group.

Your WeChat Moments can also be a very effective tool to share professional information or personal values and ideas. How? TIPS：

• Choose to use a professional avatar and name.
• In order to increase the visibility of your Moments it is recommended to post at the peak hours 8:00-9:30, 11:30-13:30, 16:30-19:00 and 21:00-22:00 when people are either on the way to and from work, or during lunch and evening breaks.
• Set to show Moments of a period of 6 months.
• Publish your company’s related information (promotions, achievements).
• Share career-related articles and knowledge with your own original reviews to give a professional impression on you.

In conclusion, to show your best professional image on online platforms stay consistent, your audience will understand that you are dedicated and active, is important to give them an authentic idea of yourself, your vision and what you have to offer.

Gi Group

Gi Group is one of the world’s leading companies providing services for the development of the labour market. The Group is active in the fields of temporary and permanent staffing, search and selection, HR consulting and training, as well as in a variety of complementary activities.