Jobhop Jobhop's blog : 10 Top Tips for Social Job Seekers
Social media can either help or hurt you in your job search.
Whether you like it or not, everything you do on social media will leave a trail of electronic bread crumbs that employers are able to follow all the way back to a less-than-flattering night out picture or an immature tweet. This is what makes it so important to closely monitor your online presence both during your job search and once you have secured a position.
You may not be able to pick up all of those crumbs you've left around the internet but below are a few top tips for the online world to make sure you're helped out and not hindered by the online technology of today.
1. ADD NEW SKILLS TO YOUR PROFILE
Add relevant skills to your social media profiles so recruiters looking for candidates with your background are able to find you.
2. TARGET COMPANIES
You'll be hard-pressed to find a company that doesn't at least have a Twitter or Facebook account. Follow the accounts of the companies where you're applying so you can get an idea of what's important to them and what their 'personality' is like. Also look at the organisations which might make a good employer and hone in on them. This could mean that you only look at employers in your area or that you look into one sector only but on a nationwide basis.
3. BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU SAY
You need to be presenting the best image of yourself online. Whether you're tweeting, blogging or updating your Facebook status, it is very important that you maintain your reputation and professional credibility. The last thing you want to do is to destroy all of you hard work by making one careless tweet. What you do on social media is there to stay - so think before you post, tweet, share or blog!
4. ACTIVATE YOUR PRIVACY SETTINGS
You need to make sure that you're effectively managing the information that's available about you online by ensuring that your personal information on Facebook is private. Use the Privacy Settings menu to change what is visible to others and make sure that it's set to 'friends' and not 'everyone'. This way, if an employer searches for you, they won't be able to see the details of your profile and delve into your personal life.
5. FOLLOW INDUSTRY NEWS
You won't be able to find just one social media network that works best for all job seekers but the most important thing is to know which platforms are most used by your industry. Find out the latest happenings by following industry blogs, signing up to newsletters and industry information and will also provide you with the opportunity to make connections which could result in possible job leads.
6. START YOUR OWN BLOG
Blogging can be a great way to demonstrate your passion and knowledge to a potential employer. You never know - your blog could be reposted and it may catch the eye of a recruiter or hiring manager.
7. ENGAGE IN ONLINE CONVERSATIONS
Participating in discussion forums and online conversations will help you to establish yourself as an expert in a particular field. It also demonstrates that you are serious about contributing to your industry if you're sharing content, answering questions and forwarding links.
8. ADD A PROFESSIONAL PROFILE PICTURE
In whatever industry or profession you work in, it's now almost inevitable that a potential employer will check your online profiles. Make sure that your picture is appropriate for employers to see. Doing so puts a face to a name and will help to project a friendly and approachable image.
9. FIND HIDDEN VACANCIES
Many jobs can be landed before they are even advertised if you're able to get in quickly. Look into internal recruitment and also seek out word-of-mouth advice as a good way of getting your foot in the door before anyone else.
10. REMAIN POSITIVE
Everybody gets knockbacks when looking for work so don't take it personally if you're rejected or don't even get a response because it's usually not because of anything you've done wrong.
When used wisely, social media can help you find and land the job of your dreams. And as most companies now rely on social media to communicate with their employees, your thoughtful contributions to LinkedIn group discussions or your knack for whipping up a witty tweet can prove to employers that you are comfortable with today's digital age.
As long as you're conscious about what you're putting online, you're on the right track. If you have any questions, don't be shy! Head over to our Twitter or Facebook and drop us a message.
JOIN Jobhop and spread the word.
- Jobs