Finding a job has never been more dynamic than it is today. Gone are the days of hard copy resumes. In the digital age, anything and everything you post online has the potential to be seen by an employer. So how do you tip the social media tables in your favor when it comes to finding a job? And can you really find legitimate work through social media?
First things first, you need to actually have profiles on social media or at least have some sort of an Internet presence. Paul DeBettignies, local Minneapolis headhunter extraordinaire spoke recently at Social Media Breakfast on this topic. He says, “If I can’t find you anywhere after doing a simple Google search, that worries me.” Not having a Web presence gives the impression that you’re trying to hide yourself, which could really hurt your job prospects.
That being said, we’re going to go through the three most popular social networks for finding a job: Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. We will give you advice and best practices for managing your personal brand in a way that gets you the job you want!
LinkedIn is one of the first places people go to get the ball rolling on their job search. There are a few keys things to remember: keep your work information as up to date as possible with keywords matching the jobs you want and try to connect with only the people you know. If you send a connection invite to someone you don’t know (an employer for example) DeBettignies says, “If someone I’ve never met just sends me a connection request, I’m probably not going to look at them. If you don’t know someone, send them a personal message. Say WHY you want to connect.”
Once you create your LinkedIn profile and start building a network, don’t forget to stay engaged. LinkedIn groups are a great way to get your name out there, be exposed to industry insights and learn about community events and jobs.
Since most people have been on Facebook the longest, it’s likely you’ve already built a wide network of friends who could potentially help connect you to a job. Plus, you tend to be closer with your Facebook friends than Twitter followers or LinkedIn connections, so you might find a larger number of people who are willing to advocate for you.
Try and keep your Facebook profile clean, but don’t set it completely to private; it might send a message that you have something to hide. Start by posting a friendly status update about your job search. Try something like, “I’m back in the Twin Cities! Looking for marketing and design work.” You might find you will get more of a genuine response on Facebook than anywhere else.
Twitter is a great place to really dig in with your personal brand. On Twitter, it’s important to both create your own content and curate other’s content. Be a valuable resource that people want to follow and employers will be impressed with. DeBettignies advises, “Don’t just crank out a ton of content. ENGAGE with people.” Instead of simply retweeting, get involved by posting comments and asking other users questions. Much like a face-to-face conversation, valuable social media posts shouldn’t be all about you. A great way to engage in your job search is to take part in Twitter chats like #careerchat and #jobhuntchat.
Another good practice is to follow companies you’re really interested in. Once you’ve done that, create a Twitter list containing job leads to help you stay up to date with the newest interesting opportunities.
Now that you’ve learned how to leverage each of these social media profiles, it’s time to make a plan! Since updating profiles, making lists and joining groups is a lot to do at one time, make a schedule for managing each of your social media profiles.
It’s also important to have fun with your profiles. They are, after all, a representation of you! DeBettignies’ last key piece of advice is: “Stop overthinking everything on social. Be you,” and the right audience will find you.
Want to find the right job for you with Celarity? Check out our job opportunities here!
