Employers and hiring managers are using the power of Google more and more frequently to research prospective job candidates. Being visible online is quickly becoming an expectation for job seekers, so where does one begin?

Google your name and analyze the results.

Notice what comes up but also recognize what doesn’t come up. That is what you’ll want to work on. The following 5 steps won’t give you overnight results but if you stick with it you’ll be well on your way to dominating the first page of Google results in no time. The following are all strong link-building sites which are the corner stones of constructing your own search engine results page.

If you are looking to expand your personal brand online then it goes without saying that all of your results should be professional, but just in case: keep your personal online presence at the professional level that is expected in your industry.

LinkedIN

Create a profile and make sure it’s branded, searchable, and 100% complete. LinkedIN is go-to website  online recruiters use when sourcing potential candidates. The reason for this is because LinkedIN is specifically designed for business networking and their strict rules keep the spammers and illegitimate users away. Facebook is to your personal life as LinkedIN is to your business life. Your LinkedIN profile will be viewed by past employers, hiring managers, and future employers so do not claim anything that you can’t backup if questioned.

Google Profile

One of the strongest things you can do for your personal brand is to create a Google profile for yourself. This automatically holds a bunch of weight with the Google.com search engine practically guaranteeing yourself a first page rank for your name. Be sure to use some strategic keywords when you are filling out your profile such as mentioning your job title(s) and name drop big achievements, companies, or projects you’ve been apart of. This will help you come up on those search result pages. Remember you are fleshing out your real life personality on the Internet.

ResumeBucket

Build out a profile on ResumeBucket.com and upload the most recent version of your resume. ResumeBucket provides a free service that not only connects hiring managers with job seekers but allows users resumes to be searchable online. Having a ResumeBucket.com account also unlocks a large variety of free media tools which allow you to become a one-person marketing department. Practically everything an employer will want to know about you will be housed in this one place.

Twitter

Professionally use Twitter. Twitter.com is a very strong link building website but is also sometimes controversial in the job search market. Your handle should be your full name and be smart about what you post on Twitter. It’s a great way to connect with people in your industry because most companies have entire departments dedicated to monitoring major social media websites like Twitter. Use this to your advantage and interact with them. Key to visibility success on Twitter (and any social media website) is to participate in the discussion while sharing useful content.