Any inconsistency in a candidate’s job application raises a red flag for recruiters and hiring managers and they end up putting it in the maybe pile at best. Inconsistencies to watch out for are saying you do one thing on your résumé and something else on your LinkedIn profile.
More subtle inconsistencies can happen in your personal image. Perhaps you look nice and professional on your LinkedIn profile picture, but a simple Google search reveals your Halloween party bender where you’re taking beer bongs with Viking horns while wearing a toga.
Here are some ways to improve your online consistency:
Plan out your personal brand before filling out profiles and résumés. Decide up front who you are and how you want to look to others.
Post to your networks on a regular basis. Having a consistent and regular voice online can help bolster your personality as perceived by others.
Ask for feedback from friends and colleagues/professional contacts. Sometimes what may be perceived as an inconsistency may just be a mistake or a personality quirk that can be hard to spot. Getting outside feedback is valuable. Perhaps you only wear jeans and T-shirts but are an executive at a company. Although you may not be willing to change your style, you can play it up as a personality trait.