Nearly all employers and recruiters will check you out online. What will they see? Here’s how to balance your personal and professional selves on social media and make it a successful part of your career growth strategy.

Discover your current image.

Before a present or future boss googles you, do it yourself. What is visible to the public on your FaceBook, Twitter, Instagram and any other pages, including that MySpace account you forgot you had?

Control who can see what.

Take down any dormant pages —your high school blog about that secret crush won’t do you any favors. On active accounts, delete any posts that you now regret.

Organize your contacts into groups and assign each post to the relevant group: personal friends/family, work colleagues, etc. Those who can influence your career don’t need — or usually want — to see your, um, festive side. The same goes for the big four: sex, politics, religion and badmouthing your current or previous employer. Even those innocent pics of your kitten are not really helping build your professional image.

Focus on your best platforms.

For nearly every jobseeker, top of the list is LinkedIn. Its capabilities go way beyond simply posting your resume. You can give and receive recommendations from people you’ve worked with, join professional groups, make comments on others’ posts and make connections with people you don’t know. (Some of these advanced functions require a subscription fee.)

Another up-and-coming venue is the iPhone app,  Clubhouse. At the moment you can only join by invitation (eventually it will be open to all), but if you do, it’s a golden opportunity to have conversations with leaders in your industry.

Promote your brand.

Market yourself to potential employers by showing them what a great asset you’ll be to their company.

• Post your career achievements, awards, educational milestones, industry events you participated in, and so on.
• Tell stories about your experiences that demonstrate your soft skills, such as leadership, analytical thinking, creativity, or whatever is most valued in your profession.
• Write thoughtful pieces on conditions in your field (your experience with them, how you would improve them), or comment on what others write.

Don’t forget that your physical appearance is part of your brand. Use a professional-looking headshot for your profile picture, showing you dressed and groomed in smart business style.

The user name of your page should be the name hiring managers will use when they’re searching for you on social media.

So there you have it, our best tips for gaming social media to help you land your dream job. See you on the Internet!