Do you have to be visible on the internet? Is it crucial?

I’ve heard an argument that’s become more and more popular amid people who haven’t been in a job finding situation (but have been attached to internet and/or social marketing).


The argumentation is that hiring responsibles, recruiting staff and decision-makers can check Google very well,fast and efficiently and search for (job)titles and/or people and start to get a list of potential candidates.

They say that if you aren’t on Google (in other words, if you don’t have a web presence and or not visible), you don’t exist.

Isn’t it more easygoing to get around traditional and expensive ways to find a potential new colleague (whatever jobsite, which costs money for an employer, or networking, which takes time and who knows days and weeks, or using recruiters, which is expensive and also time consuming), and tempting to just go to the Internet?

As I’ve watched this over the last 3 years I agreed, but I’m more dubious of it now than before.

I do think it might be important for candidates to have a web presence which they can control (own blog, a LinkedIn Profile,a Twitter Account, etc...), but I don’t think it’s so critical or crucial that you have to have it or “you don’t exist.” It sounds like the academic slogan:"Publish or Perish!"

If you network (not on a virtual level but in real life), pick up the phone, communicate with people on a one-on-one basis, you definitely still exist. Just because many hiring and recruiting responsibles are searching for talent online doesn’t mean that only candidates who are online will be found or hired.

You can have a strong personal brand and not be online! Isn't it right?

I’ve seen it happen with some people. Take part in local events where your friends, colleagues and network contacts are, you’ll get well-known.

You don't need to be visible on the virtual (internet) level. You can only be visible on the real level (life) and obtain an efficient social network and in the end obtain a fine job.