Social Media and the Job Search

The job world is changing rapidly. Knowing how to develop your online presence and how to look for work online is becoming critically important. Social networks are becoming part of the criteria that hiring managers use to find or weed out applicants.

As I ramp up my own social networking platforms, I thought this would be a good time to discuss tips on Social Media that will be useful for your job search. We’ll focus specifically on two main players: LinkedIn, and Facebook.

LinkedIn:

  • Think of your profile headline as your “2 minute written pitch”. It should describe in a sentence who you are, and what you are looking for.
  • Join groups and search out contacts and companies that are in line with your career goals, and engage in conversation. Not only will you know first hand when they are hiring, they’ll also be aware of your knowledge in the field, due to these interactions.
  • You can post a question or offer advice to a posting to get your intentions across. The more times you comment on a topic, the more activity shows up on your profile.
  • Contact past colleagues, employers and classmates using the “ask for a recommendation” feature. Once they respond, their testimonials will appear on your profile.

Facebook:

  • Give your profile a make-over by erasing game applications, and adjusting the features so that all your personal photos become private. Set the settings to block tagged images from appearing on your wall, and only leave posts relevant to your career focus, allowing thought-provoking business opinions to dominate your page.
  • Create a Page for yourself, which will allow people to subscribe to your postings and begin following you without having to add you as a friend. Make sure this page contains your resume and only professional posts and information. Edit the privacy settings on your profile, to make it private. This way, only your Page will appear on Google and other search engines.
  • If you need help getting started with your job search, I can provide you with the tools and resources that will make you more confident and focused.