Mark Gray, founder and owner of Graylink, an international online recruitment solutions company, believes, “Online is the only way to go [when building your professional persona].”

Gray shares some of his tips on how to market yourself:
- Use social networking sites Set up professional profiles with optimised keywords on sites such as LinkedIn and Twitter. A lot of companies use these sites to search for the best candidates for employment.
- Interact with people within your sector Use forums and groups on social networking sites to voice your opinion on certain topics. These discussions show that you’re a knowledgeable source, and it will get you noticed by people in the field.
- Be careful what you post on the Internet Social networking can help you, but it can also be your downfall. Don’t post drunken pictures or write controversial blogs where just about anyone can see them. Employers do search the net to find out information on people.
- Make yourself a brand Reputation management is the key to getting noticed. You need to market yourself as an invaluable product.
- Authenticity It’s important to be genuine and truthful. Further down the line, your dishonesty may come back to haunt you.
“The world is a lot more digital. It’s important to exploit all the online opportunities available to you,” Grey concludes.