Advice for consultants: Building and maintaining an online presence

Building and maintaining your online presence is a key factor in succeeding as an independent consultant. Not only is it a way for employers to find you, it’s also a way to build your personal brand, express your commitment to the sector, and publicize your achievements. Devex spoke with Yvette Gonzalez, independent consultant and managing director of Gonzalez Global Solutions, for her insights on how to build and maintain a good online presence to help you succeed in your career — and get you noticed by employers. 1. Maintaining professional profiles Professional profiles are the most obvious and common forms of online presence that everyone should have, particularly consultants who are frequently looking for new contracts. Leverage professional profiles to make those in your sector aware of your activities and availability, Gonzalez explained. “Use it actively; you update regularly; you make sure that your tagline says, ‘currently seeking opportunities,’ that way people know — even if you’re engaged in a contract — that you can be sought out for work,” she recommended. It’s like having, “an evergreen open door for people to contact me,” she said. Keeping both LinkedIn and Devex profiles up to date with your experience is key for potential employers being able to search for you. But equally important, is using your online presence to “remain relevant,” said Gonzalez. Do this by being active and providing frequent updates on things you care about and of interest to others in the same field. She advises checking in daily or every few days by posting something relevant to your work. It can be an update on a specific project you’re working on, a workshop you’ve attended, or even about someone of-interest you’ve spoken to, “that way, people know that I’m actively engaged,” she said. Not only does this evidence your passion and interest in the sector, it also increases your presence on leadership boards, Gonzalez revealed, making you appear more regularly in searches and showing others what you’re working on. Even seasoned professionals need to check in frequently to clean up their profiles and make sure everything’s in order — that their experience matches that of their CV and that everything makes sense, Gonzalez advised. “I actually ended up with a lot of contacts — a few contracts that are people I’ve never met … because they were following me on Twitter.” --— Yvette Gonzalez, independent consultant and managing director of Gonzalez Global Solutions 2. Tweeting Twitter has a large audience and is also a great tool to provide instant updates on your active work, Gonzalez noted. “You would be surprised how active a lot of people in our industry are on there,” Gonzalez revealed. Donors regularly use Twitter to provide updates on their projects, Gonzalez recommends retweeting projects you’ve worked on or contributed to — even if it’s a number of years ago — to show that you’re engaged and still care about the impact they’re having. On Twitter, you can inform others on the progress of current programs you’re involved in, conferences you’ve attended, work you’ve accomplished, awards given to programs you’ve collaborated on, in addition to retweeting information from — or important to — donors. “I actually ended up with a lot of contacts — a few contracts that are people I’ve never met … because they were following me on Twitter,” she revealed. However, it’s crucial to keep your work and personal life separate if you’re going to use such media, Gonzalez stressed. “I have two accounts. One is my personal and more fun, open account and [on] that one I feel free to express my opinions and voice ... But the professional one I keep separate — you can switch between accounts pretty easily,” she explained. She recommended not expressing any political commentary — unless, of course, that’s part of your position or work. For all social media and public posts, it’s important to remember that they can be seen by clients and employers. “You have to be aware that … the content online — no matter if it’s LinkedIn, or Twitter, or Tumblr, or whatever it is — that it makes a statement about who you are, regardless of if you think it’s professional or personal. “It makes a statement about your belief system, the integrity you work with, [and] your loyalty to a cause,” she continued. Gonzalez tries to maintain a neutral tone and ensure everything is politically correct. You don’t have to be active constantly, but checking in once a week is a good amount to maintain that presence. If she’s at a conference or event, however, then Gonzalez may post several updates per day — it’s about finding the right balance and making sure your posts are relevant. However, Gonzalez recommends staying away from Facebook. Facebook is much more personal and therefore more difficult to keep separate from your professional profile. If you are keen to use it, set up a completely separate page, she advised. 3. Is a website essential? If you are only just starting out or not yet a well-established independent consultant, a website isn’t necessarily essential. Gonzalez has been independent for eight years without one — only building a website now as she starts her own small business. They can be costly and time-consuming, which isn’t always necessary if you’ve got enough work already, or the time and effort could be better spent searching for more clients. But if you are already an established independent consultant and maybe even looking to grow into a small business, then building a website can be an excellent tool. It gives you legitimacy and credibility with a much broader platform to show off your work and accomplishments, Gonzalez explained. For those who are looking to build a website, Gonzalez advised some key things to include. “New clients have the right to check and verify and do due diligence. And the easier you make it, the more apt that people are to see that you’re transparent.” --— On her own website, Gonzalez gets asked: “What kind of work have you done? What have you accomplished? Where are you working?” The answers to these questions should be including in your site. Be sure to include past and active partnerships with links to their websites or — even better — a professional reference or contact. “New clients have the right to check and verify and do due diligence. And the easier you make it, the more apt that people are to see that you’re transparent,” she continued. This adds integrity and credibility to your site, as well as the impression you are open and transparent, qualities greatly appreciated by employers that will increase your chances of being contacted for work. Additionally, you should have a list of donors that you have worked with or projects that have been sponsored by them. Clients will be looking to see if you have experience working with the same donors they do. “Your website is to save time for clients,” she explained, to easily see if you’re a good match for what they’re looking for. When adding your experience, be sure to ask clients for permission first. Let them know you will put up a summary of the project and ask them what you can share. Gonzalez recommends doing so in writing, so there’s no room for contention. It’s also an opportunity to renew old connections and increase awareness surrounding your availability. 4. Blogging If you’re lucky enough to have the time, then blogging is another excellent way to make yourself and your work known, Gonzalez advocated. Earlier in her career, Gonzalez kept a blog that she wrote in on the evenings and weekends — until she had a greater number of clients and it became too time-consuming. It’s a good way to keep track of everything you’ve done, she advised, as well as sharing and exchanging experiences with others. It’s valuable to build up followers and connections, which can also create a community pool to ask for advice. If you’re having a specific problem or struggle, the chances are that other independent consultants have been through it too. As with social media, a blog is important to keep consistent, professional, and separate from a personal one. 5. Building a personal brand “Branding yourself is tough because you want clients to know you are serious about quality, passionate about the work, dedicated to delivering, and then — a real person!” Gonzalez said. “I find time to post relevant articles that I have actually read ... It gives a flavor for my personality, what I believe in, and what my brand might stand for. That can form your brand slowly without much effort.” --— The most important thing is to stay approachable, she advised. You can do this with a few key and simple actions. One is to always keep an updated headshot on your online platforms. That way, people and clients can recognize you and pick you out at a conference. Another thing Gonzalez recommends — which may seem surprising — is to share and promote the work of other reputable consultants online. “This goes a long way in developing your brand. You are inclusive, not threatened, collaborative [with] team spirit, and are seen as confident enough to make space for all peers in the industry pool. After all, we can’t do it alone,” she explained. Gonzalez works in the aerospace industry as well as global development. She advocates sharing articles from both, “I find time to post relevant articles that I have actually read from both industries. It gives a flavor for my personality, what I believe in, and what my brand might stand for. That can form your brand slowly without much effort.” If you have a relevant interest or additional industry you work in, then sharing stories and information about both can build on your brand and add a bit of personality. 6. Always be within easy reach As well as building a personal brand and presence, utilize technology to stay connected and contactable to donors, clients, stakeholders, and anyone else who might need you. Consultancy work often means a lot of travel and remote working with teams that are dispersed across the globe. In many countries, Wi-Fi and internet connection is the primary form of communication, Gonzalez said. “In other countries, especially working in international development … these platforms that we claim to be kind of social, are actually the norm here. So, everybody professionally here, has to have it to contact each other on Wi-Fi rather than paying for their top-ups.” “I have all these ongoing conversations through a medium that’s active, immediate, instantaneous. It’s also showing that I’m available and it resolves issues quickly.” --— Gonzalez always stays connected via WhatsApp, email, and video calling, to remain reachable for donors and managers. Such tools mean you can respond to things immediately, which alleviates clients’ stress and gives you a notable edge. Clients really do notice and “people reach out all the time,” she revealed. “When I travel, I insert a new SIM card to have a local number, but my WhatsApp, iMessage, and other media remain with my USA number. I update my email signature with my local number. It allows people to know I am on the move, but accessible,” she explained. With instant messaging, such as WhatsApp, it’s also much easier to quickly reassure worried clients. Even if you don’t have the answer right away, you can at least acknowledge you have received the message and will get back to them as soon as possible, Gonzalez recommended. “I have all these ongoing conversations through a medium that’s active, immediate, instantaneous. It’s also showing that I’m available and it resolves issues quickly,” she said. Gonzalez recommends following up with a formal email to clarify what you have spoken about and have a record of it after a call, messaging, or video interaction. 7. Try video calling Gonzalez also stressed the importance of remaining human and personable. In-person meetings and conversations are so valuable, but hard to replicate at long distances. “I’ve been very conscious for the last few years of ‘how do I keep that connectivity in the age of Microsoft or online everything?’” she explained. Being able to video call with people maintains that human connection and can actually ease tensions. “It makes such a difference to see the reaction of their face and to have something close to connectivity,” she highlighted, and clients don’t expect it, so it makes you more memorable and leaves a lasting impression. She asks colleagues if they are comfortable with video calling and uses it to communicate with everyone, from ministers to CEOs and country directors. One thing she did note, however, was to make sure you look presentable when video calling clients and colleagues — you still need to maintain a professional image and reputation. Maintaining an online presence may not seem top priority when you’re an independent consultant looking for contracts, traveling, or working long hours on projects. However, it can be a very strong tool for building a professional profile and making yourself known to potential employers — who may then reach out to you. Even if you can’t afford the time do all of these things, a conscious effort to be present, active, and up to date, will help you stay relevant in this increasingly connected world. If you have more questions for Yvette Gonzalez be sure to sign up for the Devex webinar, A guide to consulting with USAID on July 17, where she will offer deeper insights into how to remain relevant, knowing and negotiating your worth, and making sure you get paid as an independent consultant.