Social media is the new way of the world … whether you accept that or not. In fact, 70% of employers now use social media as a part of the hiring process, which means you want your social media to start looking more professional.  Here are five ways that you give your Instagram a professional boost to entice future employers!

Post the good pics

You want your feed to look like time and effort were put into it. I’m not saying that you have to go out and buy an expensive camera, but find places to take pictures that have good lighting; they will end up looking way more professional than a picture you snapped quickly in a dark room.

For example, notice the differences in these photos. The right one is professional looking because of where the light is on her face. It is simply moving the person to where the light is to capture a quality iPhone image — and it makes all the difference in the professionalism of your feed.

Have a common light and color with your pictures

The best way to do this is with a preset – which is basically just a filter that you put on all the pictures you post. Most presets are made in Lightroom (which you can get for free on the app store). You can make your own or purchase some from professional photographers! Using presets adds cohesion to your page and overall makes things look more professional.

See how Vans uses like colors among their posts? Notice all the subtle hints of red in these pictures and how they are arranged in a grid-like format.

Consistency is key

This is especially important if you have a major in communications. Your employer wants to see that you are an avid social media user…so a post every other month isn’t going to look to great if you are trying to convince them that you are a branding specialist. Make a goal for yourself to post every week or so depending on how active you want to be. It’s also super easy to say more consistent using Instagram Stories and they are so fun to use as well (check out this super awesome Instagram story hacks video).  Show your employer that you can be consistent on social media and know how to use it.

Be yourself

Your followers want to see YOU and what you like and are passionate about- not what you think you should like or be passionate about. And your employers want to see who you are to determine if you seem like you would be a good fit for their team. I think it is so important to be authentic on our social media because it attracts like-minded people to us which can only help your network grow even bigger!

Organized bio, with highlights!

Your bio should be a short bit about who you are and what you believe in. You should include a link to your portfolio as well so that people coming across your page can have somewhere to go look at your work! (Pro tip: you can put multiple links in your bio using Linktree) You can make professional highlight covers using the app Canva and feature some of your work within those as well. Having a bio like this will be sure to draw your employer to you and allow them to see what great of a candidate you are for a job or internship!

Don’t forget about one of your biggest allies: LinkedIn

I know we are talking about Instagram here, but your LinkedIn profile is just as important to keep on point, especially as you get closer to graduation. LinkedIn is increasingly becoming more important as many employers look here to see your qualifications. Make sure you are making your profile visually appealing by using multimedia to catch the employer’s eye (here are some tips) and networking all the time. You can do this by following people in your industry and joining groups that are interesting to you.

All and all, keeping your web profile updated and looking professional is increasingly becoming more important. You need to show how potential employers that you are capable of using social media in a professional and responsible manner. Ideally these tips will help catch the eye of your future boss and land you that dream job!

Author Caitlin Davis is a sophomore at MTSU with dual majors in the School of Journalism in advertising and public relations and in the School of Agriculture in agribusiness. The views and opinions expressed above are her own and don’t necessarily reflect the official policies or positions of Middle Tennessee State University.