It’s tricky . . .
I think a top tier, professional web site – that hosts your resume – is a good online presence.
Social media is tricky. You need to understand the sporadic nature of how people read your posts – and how more popular posts get seen – so that one time you go the hospital that gets 40 comments, is seen by more people – and then – well, people remember you being in the hospital. Tricky.
You have to figure out what sort of on line presence you want to have. Posting all your jobs, makes you look busy, and if you are perceived as always busy, the people are mpy going to think of you for jobs. Remember, most jobs will come to you from professional contacts, rarely from postings. Always looking for work and posting about it . . . then you might look unemployed and unemployable. It’s about finding the right balance for you.
Over self promoting smacks of desperation . . .
You also have to work about making sure you posts are positive, upbeat and consider yourself ALWAYS under the microscope. There is a stage manager I know on Facebook, who recently posted about a bad work situation – none of her employers or co-workers saw it, but it definitely gave me an insight into how she works and deals with “issues” at work – just not my style. Recently, she came to me about an opening I have on an upcoming show – we met, but it was impossible for me to shake the information I had from her in the heat of an issue.
Also, remember, if any social media becomes filled with professional contacts – be prepared for any and all vague comments to be associated with work – posting “Having a bad day!” could be about the fact water is out in your apartment – but if someone only knows you in a professional atmosphere . . . then we might and probably assume it is about work. (Because, as we all know, stage managers have no personal lives).
Also, remember, there comes a false sense of closeness that comes with being associated with someone via social media . . . that may not exist in real life. (There is also a flip side to be becoming popular on social media, you can develop “stalkers”.)