Your Professional, Digital Presence Is Your First Impression Now
Several times a week, I find myself having a familiar conversation. Someone reaches out and says something like:
“Hey Knox, I’m thinking about making a move.” … or … “My company just went through another restructuring, so I’m keeping an eye out…”
And almost every time, the conversation eventually reaches the same moment of realization: They haven’t touched their digital presence in years.
Their LinkedIn profile? Stale. About section? The bare minimum. Experience section? A list of job titles and dates with no description around roles, responsibilities and accomplishments. No recent professional posts. No point-of-view.
No visible presence.
They are talented, experienced and trusted by the people who know them – but invisible to the people who don’t.
This is the part that tends to land hardest: Your digital presence is your first impression now. And, quite frankly, your first screening interview.
Long before you speak to a recruiter or hiring manager…. Before your resume is read…. Before the coffee chat…. Before you walk into a room or log into Zoom…. People look you up to understand you.
Not to judge – but to orient. To make sense of who you are and how you operate. To see your signal.
The Resume Used to Tell the Story
We used to rely on a one-to-two page document to introduce us: Education. Tenure. Achievements. Titles.
All of that still matters – but it no longer tells the whole story.
Your resume now functions more like a receipt – confirmation of what someone has already gathered from your digital presence.
What they’re really looking for is:
- Do you show clarity about what you do?
- Do you have a point of view?
- Are you actively engaged in your field?
- Do people respond to you?
- Are you part of the conversation or watching from the sidelines?
In other words: Are you visible? Are you relevant? Are you someone I can trust?
Trust comes from credibility. Credibility requires consistency and visibility. Visibility now starts online.
Silence Has Its Own Meaning
We often assume that saying nothing simply means… nothing. But online, silence speaks volumes.
When someone looks you up and sees:
- A bare profile
- No recent posts
- No indication of what you think or value
The human brain fills in the gaps. “Do they care about their work?” “Are they up to date?” “Do they have a leadership voice?” “Do they see themselves as part of the larger conversation?”
And perhaps the quietest – but most telling – question of all: Do they know who they are professionally?
A strategic and intentional digital presence reveals competence. And when it’s absent, people assume there is no story.
Transitions Happen Before We’re Ready
Most of us don’t think about our digital presence until we need it:
- When a reorganization hits
- When a leadership change shifts the landscape
- When work becomes uncertain
- When we start exploring new paths
- When someone finally asks, “What’s next for you?”
That’s when the urgency hits.
But urgency is not clarity. Urgency is reaction. And reacting rarely feels strong or strategic.
The professionals who navigate transitions with confidence – those who move from one opportunity to the next with steadiness – are not “lucky.” They simply invested in their digital presence long before they needed it.
They built visibility the same way you build trust: Over time. Consistently. Without rushing.
So What Does a Strong Digital Presence Look Like?
It isn’t loud. It isn’t polished perfection. It certainly isn’t self-promotion. It’s simply being findable in your own voice.
A strong digital presence says:
- This is what I believe in.
- This is how I work.
- This is how I solve problems.
- This is what matters to me.
- This is the value I bring to others.
It shows up in:
- A headline that actually means something.
- An About section written in the first person.
- A handful of recent posts that reveal your thinking.
- Thoughtful comments where you add substance to conversations.
Presence is not about volume. It’s about clarity and consistency.
Where to Begin
If you haven’t invested in your digital presence in a while – or ever – start on LinkedIn with these things:
- Update your LinkedIn headline
Not your job title – your value.
- Rewrite your About section
Write the way you speak. Let people meet you.
- Share one observation a week
It doesn’t have to be profound. It only needs to be true.
- Comment with intention
Show your thinking by responding to others thoughtfully.
Do this for 8–12 weeks, and something shifts. The way people respond to you changes. Opportunities begin to show up that weren’t showing up before. Conversations happen that weren’t happening before.
Not because you changed. But because people can see you and the value you bring.
A Closing Thought
Your digital presence is not about performance. It is about making your work visible, so others can recognize its value.
Not someday. Not when something forces your hand. But now – while things are steady. While you still have space to think. While you still have a choice in the direction you take next.
Your story deserves to be seen while you’re the one telling it.
More soon.
And as always —
➡️ Give me a follow on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/knoxkeith
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