Everyone and everything is online. We use our mobile devices all the time - at work, during the trip, before we fall asleep and right after we wake up. We want to stay on top of things and keep in touch with our friends. What do we usually do when looking for some interesting news, reach out to somebody or just relax when we have only a whit of time? We choose social media because of the accessibility, wide range and mostly - convenience, don’t we? At least I do.
Although me and you, we know how to use social media for personal purpose, there are still some people that does not have any idea of how the popularity of Social Media can be helpful for job seekers and recruiters. This way of finding a new career path has become more and more common because of its effectiveness. Both candidates and recruiters appreciate this innovative form of getting in touch. If you are not as familiar with the newest technique for looking for job and you are curious to learn more about the power of Social Media, I am kindly encouraging you to let me take you another 6 minutes of your life. Huston, shall we go on? .
What to do and what not to do? - that is the question
Okay, so if you want to find a job via social media, you need to create a professional - looking profile. Give your visitors information about what you do and what are your values. Remember that posting too much personal information and details of your private life can be really harmful and slightly dangerous for your career.Also, it can keep you from getting your perfect job and, as a result, developing yourself.
Now, it is a give away time! Here we go with a few tips, which can be very helpful for job seekers using Social Media:
- Social Media can be a great place to show your abilities. Are you proud of your work? Don’t be shy about sharing it. If you have some interesting portfolio or other works worth seeing - show it! (Remember about the good quality of published pictures and graphics - be professional).
- Did you take part in charity or maybe some sport events? Let your future employer know about it. Show your passion and involvement. Make your social media profile a great representation of who you are and take care of your personal branding - this pays off!
- You should be a member of appropriate groups. If you are a job - seeker, you should actively use them so you can establish valuable relations in your branch and exchange your opinions. Networking is extremely important, but before you join any group be sure that it’s sending the right message.
- Don’t focus only on Facebook. There are also other, worth joining social networking services like LinkedIn - a business- and employment-oriented social networking service. The more active in (appropriate) social media you are, the bigger chance of finding your dream job you have. Remember that being “active on social media” doesn’t mean opening an account on every platform possible.
- Make sure that your profile is fully completed. Easy access to the most important information helps save time and makes a good impression on recruiters and future employers. Make it easier for recruiters to find you for potential jobs by putting keywords related to your industry in your bio.
- Good idea is also to like or follow the company you have applied at. You can also comment and react to its posts. In this way you will show your interest and learn more about company’s actions, the team and its products.
- Create an open profile - although you should keep a certain level of privacy, don’t try to hide everything. It can arouse suspicions. Don’t block all of your pictures, information and don’t change your real name. Potential employer will not hire secretive person.
- Let your connections know you are looking for job - if you don’t currently have a job, you can post a status and ask your network for help. Let them know what are you interested at and inform about your experience. Do you already have a job?- be extra careful. If there’s any chance your status could get to your coworkers or boss - don’t do it.
- If you send any message or invitation to anyone you don’t know - personalize it. No one wants to get the same, trite messages from everybody. Personalized request or question increases your chance to receive a reply or make a new contact.
To sum up, social media can help you get a dream job. You just need to be aware of its power, which can be both really helpful and harmful. Above - mentioned keys to a successful job search will certainly make it easier to use the social media wisely and effectively. Good luck! :).