14 Feb How social media can help you find work
Job seekers used to worry their social media profiles could keep them from landing their dream job. And for good reason.
After all, photos of keg stands don’t exactly scream, “future executive.”
Shying away from social media, however, is not the answer.
With recent surveys showing that 92% of companies and recruiters use social media to find job applicants, today’s savvy job seekers leverage social media to their job hunting advantage.
Here are three ways you can do the same.
Network, network, network
Networking, thanks to social media, has finally come of age.
While the unemployed and the unhappily employed have always tried to use their connections to further their employment aims, never before were they outfitted with such powerful tools.
Simply posting that you’re looking for work on Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn can result in a friend or acquaintance telling you about a job opening at their company.
Employers also post job openings on social media, so be sure to follow or like the companies you’d enjoy working for.
But leveraging your social network is more than what happens online.
Connections in the real world count more than in the virtual one.
So sign up for that jobs conference your former co-worker just posted about attending.
Reach out to potential mentors for a cup of coffee.
Social media has made networking easier and more robust, but shaking hands, making eye contact, and having a conversation still win the day when you’re looking for a job.
Social as gateway
No matter what kind of job you’re after — travel nursing, coding, graphic design — social media can function as a gateway for recruiters and hiring managers looking to learn more about you.
So, be intentional about what you include in your profile and what you post.
Link to projects or portfolios of current and past work.
Highlight your volunteer work and community involvement.
Your social media profiles can actually make your resume or CV more competitive.
Of course, the opposite is true, too.
Employers do use social as a screening tool to narrow the candidate field, so look over all your accounts with a discerning eye.
Divisive political posts, random rants, and questionable photos won’t showcase your best attributes as a job seeker. Delete them.
Lean in to LinkedIn
It’s hard to overstate just how valuable LinkedIn can be to recruiters and job seekers.
It has 10 million active job listings, and it’s also the preferred social networking site for job recruiters when they’re vetting candidates.
While you’ll have to pay to access the site’s best bells and whistles, a free account offers plenty — if you use it well.
Join groups in your field or areas of expertise. Then, post in them and interact.
Make connections with people you know, and people you’d like to know.
The networking alone could land you a job, and hiring managers viewing your profile will get to see what kind of knowledge, viewpoints, and personality you possess.
There are a lot of job resources out there, and social media is one of the best. Just be sure to use it well.
