Here's how you can navigate your online presence as a late-career professional during a job search.

Make sure your headline promotes you as to where you want to go and not where you have been. Do not be shy about doing this. You can’t expect to be considered for new roles if you yourself aren’t convinced you can do the job. You can do it! So put it in your headline.

Leverage your extensive experience by showcasing your achievements and skills on professional platforms like LinkedIn. Engage in industry discussions, share insights from your career, and highlight your continuous learning efforts. This not only reinforces your expertise but also demonstrates your commitment to staying current and contributing meaningfully to your field.

Commenting is very underrated. It's an easy way to stand out and get noticed. Go beyond the common "thanks for sharing" comment. Add value to the conversation. It doesn't have to take time to write. -It could be just one thing that resonated with you in the post. -It could be an additional point that came up for you, that wasn't included in the post. -It could be a summary of the post.

One helpful tip when it comes to commenting on others' posts, one way to build conversation is to ask questions which encourage engagement. You can also tag other relevant people not already on the coversation in it.

Leverage LinkedIn to engage with individuals online. Comment on posts and articles with your network and individuals in your desired field. Share relevant content including articles, information, and learning opportunities, etc. with your LinkedIn network.

I follow a 5-word rule when commenting on LI: rather than just saying "Great article!" or similar, I require myself to write at least 5 words. This better positions me as a subject matter expert.

One key aspect of "monitoring your online activity" is: HAVE ACTIVITY IN THE FIRST PLACE! That's where things start - and yes, staying "on brand" and focused on where you can add meaningful contributions, create a dialogue, engage others in a discussion around topics where you have interest and/or expertise. If you are a "late-career" professional, it might be more important to ensure that your presence is being heard in the right places (tools & tech that are still current/mainstream) - so that awareness is key. That's where being seen as relevant starts.

When updating your skills, it's crucial to choose courses and certifications that are recognized and respected in your industry. Research the most in-demand skills in your field and seek out training that matches these needs. Networking with industry professionals on platforms like LinkedIn can provide insights into the best educational resources and potential career opportunities. Regularly engaging in professional groups and discussions can also keep you informed about the latest industry trends and best practices, making you a more attractive candidate to employers.

A great way to build connections and contacts given your experience already is to start a newsletter on LinkedIn which contains helpful and current content that showcases your ability and increases your brand authority.

Stop paving the cow path. As we age, we become quite set in our ways, and avoidant to change.... especially regarding technology. Unfortunately, to make it in this digital age we must stay abreast regarding how employment is found, the role social media plays (positive and negative), what an ATS is and how it impacts our job search strategy, etc.

Online presence is digital real estate that, with a device in your hand you can multiply reach to meet career objectives. Being late-career, you likely accumulated a wealth of attractive experiences and knowledge for employers. The collection needs packaging that sends the right signals. It's common for this value to not be tracked. No case studies to reflect on. Little work done to isolate specific skills. A STAR story deficit. Questions I invite: - What value do you want employers to know you have? - Which strengths do you want recruiters to associate you with? - Prefer public posting or DMs? A mix? - If you initiated no engagement, does your presence speak for itself? Are there contradictions with different platforms?