Using Social Media to Find a Job

In today’s competitive corporate culture, it takes more than talent and a great resume to attract job offers.  Being that the digital age has been upon us for some time now, using social media is a great way to find a job these days.  Having a working knowledge of social media is an important skill if you want to succeed in your job search.  While it’s fun to play with social media and post pictures of yourself with family and friends, that’s not all it’s about any more these days.  You should use social networking sites to evidence your professional acumen so recruiters visiting these sites can seek you out.  Additionally, by using social media to procure a job, you might find out about new openings before they’re broadly advertised.  Getting a job in today’s market is tough.  While job search sites have many postings, actually landing a job through these services can be tough so I would highly recommend using social media to help you land that dream job.

The first thing to do is set up accounts using various social media platforms such as LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook.  Make sure you have a presence on all the major sites.  Such exposure puts you just a click away from tons of new contacts.  In regards to Twitter and Facebook, set up different accounts for personal and professional.  Follow organizations that you have an interest in coming on board with.  Join in the discussions with them and post original content that shows you have expertise in the area they are looking to hire in. 

LinkedIn is likely the best of the social media platforms to help you land a job.  It’s one of the best ways to get word of early job openings.  Look for the company tab at the top of the LinkedIn page and use the search function to find firms by name or industry.  Once you follow a firm, you’re likely to see job openings.  Make your LinkedIn profile as complete as possible.  Ask former bosses or co-workers to write you recommendations that you can post to your page.  Add people to your network who you know and also try to add others that can help you expand your network.  Join groups on the site related to the field you are looking to break into.

Use Twitter to your benefit.  As I’ve mentioned Twitter may alert you to new job openings if you are following certain firms or industry leaders.  It allows you to build relationships with trendsetters in the field who would otherwise be unavailable to you.  Respond to tweets with regularity and show off your expertise.  Post relevant content.  Discuss things you’ve achieved or post links to articles in the field you’re interested in.  Make sure your Twitter bio highlights your achievements and expertise.  While it’s difficult to sum yourself up in 140 characters, get creative.

Consider starting a blog.  You can link your blog to other social media platforms you’re engaged in.  Show off your expertise.  Write interesting articles that show you are knowledgeable about your field of interest.  Add widgets to your blog that allow others to follow you on Twitter or Facebook.  Consider adding a widget where your recent tweets appear on your blog.  Always maintain a dialogue flow.

You also might want to consider creating a YouTube channel.  Only post professional looking videos.  Make sure the camera is steady and that you are dressed professionally.  Again, discuss your achievements or talk about interesting articles you’ve read about your field of expertise.  Align yourself with good content and share it with others.  Do an Internet search for questions people are asking about your field and answer them with authority.

Brand yourself.  Everyone needs an online brand.  Find what makes you unique and capitalize on it.  “When someone visits your social media profiles, it should be distinctly ‘you.’”  Create a short, professional bio that lists your skills for all the social media platforms you are using.  Use a professional headshot.  No pictures or avatars of you with family and friends. Keeping this consistency solidifies your brand and makes it easier for potential employers to find you.

Working with social media means taking advantage of the great communication tools available on the Internet to help you find the right job at the right time.  As I’ve mentioned, this means creating consistent online profiles, joining groups, networking, blogging, even posting video content.  As times have changed so has the traditional job hunt.  Social media has exploded over the last five years so use it to your advantage when looking for a job and branding yourself.  If you use some of the tips I’ve listed here today, you just might find you’ll be ahead of the competition in finding the job you’ve always wanted.

Here are some articles you might want to check out about using social media to find a job:

“10 Smart Ways to Use Social Media in Your Job Search”: http://money.usnews.com/money/careers/slideshows/10-smart-ways-to-use-social-media-in-your-job-search/2

“How to Use Social Media to Find a Job”: http://www.forbes.com/sites/deborahljacobs/2013/03/04/how-to-use-social-media-to-find-a-job/

“5 Clever Ways to Get a Job Using Social Media”: http://mashable.com/2011/06/19/get-job-using-social-media/

“9 Ways You Can Use Social Media to Get Your Dream Job”: http://www.marieclaire.co.uk/blogs/542069/10-ways-you-can-use-social-media-to-get-your-dream-job.html

Until next time…