Are you a young tech professional in search of job? With the job market as tight as it is, you better be prepared and show yourself in the best light possible, but how? Well, have you Googled yourself lately? It is shocking to me to see how many people submit resumes with examples of their past work, but when I type their name into Google, nothing comes up.  This is baffling to me, especially in the internet age where anything you want to know about anything, is usually a click away. So, why is it that I cannot find anything about you to distinguish YOU from the rest of the crowd? Follow these tips for young tech professionals to get yourself found easier.

1. Create a LinkedIn account. This is the first step in getting your professional information out there. Put as much information as you can, you can even link your blog, twitter and social media accounts to it to, but only do this if you are posting information relative to your career/job market. And NO, drunken tweets from last nights party will not do.

2. Start a blog! If you are interested in computers, write about tech, if you are a marketer, write about marketing tips and tricks. It can be tough to come up with ideas, but once you do, it is easy. Make sure you tag your posts with relative keywords to help your posts come up in searches, and remember to spread your links via social media! Share, share, share!

3. Get active on all social media. It will help to bring your name up in searches for content relative to your industry. It will let the hiring directors know that you understand your industry and actually take interest in it.

4. Create an about.me account or similar. These accounts are often free and easy to set up. They usually just pull in your information from LinkedIn, making it even easier. These profiles come up in search too. It is easy to browse through others profiles and even the basic accounts have analytics so you can see how many views your profile has received and where the clicks are coming from!

5. Create a web portfolio. Register a domain (yourname.com is a great way for it to get found in search) and get your website started. With so many free platforms out there it is easier than ever to do. Post examples of your work such as websites you have designed, examples of your writing skills, pictures you have taken, etc. Just make sure it’s relative and fun! Hiring directors want to see the real side of you, because let’s face it, I will most likely pick the fun, refreshing person over the boring person…

6. And last but not least, follow the directions when applying for the position you want! If the job posting says, “Submit your resume in PDF format,” do it! Because If you can’t follow easy directions like that, your resume is most likely going in the trash. Also, don’t just send out the same cover letter and resume to every job. Customize them to fit each position you are applying for.

Being a young professional seeking your first real job can be tough, but it is doable.  It just takes time and motivation. Nothing in life is easy.

Any other tips and tricks? Share them below!