Social Media
Social Media for the Job Search
Due to the demands of the workplace, recruiters are having to search harder than ever before for the right candidate for a position. According to recent research, 92% of recruiters use social media in their recruiting process. Of all of the social media platforms out there, the top three sites used by recruiters are LinkedIn (87%), Facebook (55%), and Twitter (47%). Below are some helpful tips for making sure you are using these three sites effectively.
- Make sure you have a LinkedIn profile that you keep updated
- Note: If you don’t have a profile put together, reach out to Career Services and they can help you put one together!
- When creating a profile, make sure that you include all relevant job history, as it relates to your current job search
- Also, include your educational background and any volunteer and leadership roles
- Make sure your photo is a professional-looking headshot that does not include any other people, animals, children, or anything that could cause a recruiter not to consider you
- Translate the skillsets listed on your resume into descriptors within your profile; use numbers and other statistics when possible
- Talk with friends, co-workers, and in some cases previous managers to leave you “Recommendations” and “Endorsements” (these will help to provide crucial supporting information to recruiters)
- Once your profile is up and ready to go, begin joining LinkedIn groups that focus on the job search and follow employers that you’re interested in working for
- Connect on the site with friends, co-workers, anyone that you have a relationship with; you will find these connections will be useful in your career search
- Most importantly, many employers post jobs on LinkedIn, so you’ll want to use the search bar at the top of the page to look for jobs that match your skills
- Facebook can not only be used for personal means, you can also utilize the site for the job search
- Before doing any job search on the site, make sure that your privacy settings are in place and that a potential employer won’t be able to see anything that will detract from your candidacy
- Clean up any poor grammar, foul language, membership in groups that could be considered inappropriate, and most importantly hide or untag yourself in any photos that display you in an improper light
- When it comes to photos, make sure that your profile photo and cover photo are respectable and are appropriate for all viewers
- When you think you’re ready to go, select “View As” in your profile to see your profile the public sees it – this will give you a better idea of what you need to clean up
- Once your profile is cleaned up and ready to go, you’re ready to utilize your network of friends; many of them have connections that can help you get into employers of choice – let people know you’re in the job search
- You can also follow employers and job search-related sites on Facebook, you may get some good leads and tips to help you in your process
- Just like with Facebook, make sure that your Twitter profile is set to private – that way, no one will be able to see what you post
- However, for the best use in your job search, you’ll want to make sure that your Twitter account is clean and that your tweets are appropriate
- Use your real name and keep your Twitter ID professional; don’t make it something that could offend
- Use the brief biography section to tell a little about yourself and what you might be looking for in the job search
- Once your Twitter account is ready to go, you’re ready to start the search
- Twitter can provide you access to many employers, recruiters, and human resource professionals
- Just like on the other social media sites, follow employers you are interested in; oftentimes, they will post links to their job openings and hiring events
- Search hashtags (#) that are job search-related, i.e. #jobs, #jobsearch, #careers, etc.
