Regardless of whether you operate a small business, a mid-size company, or a major corporation, you have a significant online presence. At a minimum, you have an official website, and this is likely augmented with various social media profiles. On top of this is any presence you have on major review sites, and factored in is any content an online entity has written about your organization. In total, it represents a major presence, and you must count on anyone that is applying for one of your vacancies combing through it thoroughly. They can draw one of two conclusions:

Positive

• Positive Reviews – Your customers and clients have written about you favorably, suggesting you are good at what you do and committed to your own success.
• Updated Blog – You are interested in the news and issues that affect your industry, and making it a point to participate in the dialogue and educate clients/collaborators.
• Current Website – You understand the importance of the Internet for all businesses and are making an effort to keep your website up to date, relevant, and user friendly.
• Active Social Media Profiles – You understand the potential and flexibility of social media and are using it to engage customers and spread your brand to a larger audience.

Negative

• Bad Publicity – Your company has been written about unfavorably by trade journalists and industry thought leaders, suggesting your future is in peril.
• Poor Website – Your outdated, hard-to-use website tells job seekers that you don’t know how to engage with today’s users.
• Negative Reviews – Your customers or clients have gone out of their way to criticize your business in a public place, offering a clear indication that your products/services are inferior.
• Social Media Ineptitude – Your static social media profiles on sites with weaning user bases highlight that you don’t understand the evolution of the Web and can’t keep up with your customers.

The point is that your online presence can be either an asset or an obstacle. Use it to your advantage and you will attract top talent, connect with a larger pool of candidates, and put yourself in position to recruit the next generation. Use it to your disadvantage and you will struggle to find qualified applicants, damage your company culture, face ongoing skills gaps, and languish as baby boomers retire. So, how is your online presence looking these days? If it’s not up to par and it’s starting to hurt your recruiting efforts, rely on the experienced recruiters at Morris Bixby to help you turn a negative into a positive.