Social media has woven itself into every aspect of our lives, from finding love to community organizing and even creating a whole new type of field of careers. While society has embraced social media for fun and curating a show of private life, it has also become a tool for job seekers and hiring managers.
Utilizing social media in your job search is essential, and not just because companies look at them, it’s a tool to land the job you want too!
Why Does Social Media Matter in Your Job Hunt?
It may appear the opposite, but not everyone is active on social media. If that’s you, it’s time to embrace social networking, at least till you find the job you want. It can help demonstrate to potential employers that you have some technology skills, understand the basics of the internet, and are, at the very least, exposed to trends online. Some may wonder about the last bit, exposure to social media trends, but you have to remember the platforms display content based on your online behavior. So, even someone interested in electrical work or looking for jobs that have little to do with online life will still be exposed to industry trends in their feeds.
Other reasons to have some social media presence? Here are just a few:
- You’ll have a personal brand, think of it as a pre-cover letter
- Allows more networking and connecting in ways you couldn’t in person
- Makes you more visible to hiring managers and recruiters who mine different social media platforms for prospective candidates.
- Provides an opportunity to engage with companies you want a job with.
New and Current Social Media Profiles
Setting a social media profile just to say you have one isn’t going to cut it, but neither is the profile you had before starting the search for a new job.
Clean Up Existing Social Accounts
It may not be fair, but hiring managers look at an applicant’s online presence to get a sense of who would be walking their halls. Sure, your social media account is your place to share what you think is funny, exchange opinions, and engage in your interests, but having images and posts that aren’t the most professional isn’t in your interest.
Before starting your search, delete or hide any old posts or photos that are questionable. Make sure your settings are “friends only” for posts that may not be work-friendly and remember to post work-friendly content often, otherwise, it’ll appear like you have too much to hide online.
As part of that strategy, Google yourself. You’ll want to see if there is anything a potential employer can see and it’s always good to double-check to see if you’re clean-up got rid of anything that would threaten your job search.
Using Social Media in Your Job Search
Now that you have a social media presence or made it job-hunting-friendly, it’s time to use the platform to aid in the search:
- Acknowledge accomplishments: get a new certificate or learn a new skill? Talk about it, share it, and express your pride and hard work. These types of posts highlight your education, experience, and commitment to professional development; these are all things a hiring manager wants to see.
- Don’t go crazy: Remember, it’s good to celebrate wins but constant bragging will only hurt your image. With that, you also don’t want to announce to everyone you’re searching for a new job, especially if you still have one. Always check your privacy settings and sharing settings to make sure who sees what is appropriate.
- Check out their profile: Now that you’re on social media and have a clean profile that you don’t have to worry about, it’s time to check out the companies you’re eyeing. Go read their blogs, posted content, and tweets, and get a sense of the job you’re after. You can learn a lot about a company and even prepare for an interview by looking over their current posts.
Utilizing Differ Social Media Platforms
We all know that there are many different social networks, each with their own types of preferred content and not all companies are on each nor do they work the same. Here are how you can utilize different social platforms to help you land a job:
- LinkedIn: Most people know about LinkedIn, it’s like the professional’s Facebook. Having one is important, having a presence there, but do you know how to use it? LinkedIn has a lot of tools that can help the job seeker, like news and information regarding the industry you want to be in. You can leave commentary on topics that will demonstrate you’re up-to-date on the field and tag companies to let them know you’re engaging with them.
- Facebook: Speaking of, many don’t consider Facebook when looking for a job since it’s a personal network. Here is where you can tailor your posts to be seen by hiring managers, curating posts to be public and then private for your private life. Think of it like tailoring your footprint.
- Twitter: Now called “X”, it’s a good platform to demonstrate your expertise and connect with others to expand your network in that field. You can share news articles and comment on, live tween professional events you’re at or join ones you want to attend.
- Instagram: Ever thought of making a professional profile to post professional things? That’s what Instagram can be good for. You can also job search on it by searching popular hashtags that companies and jobs use or job titles themselves.
Search No More
How to use your online presence and social media is important, not just to search for jobs, but also when working with people who do it for you. We can help with that.
Provisional Recruiting has been placing people in a range of positions for over twenty years. Our expertise has helped both job hunters and employers find the professional match that suits both best throughout the Northwest. Our job experts and recruiting specialists post quality jobs for our community’s talent, ensuring the match is right for everyone.
Want help to land the job you’re after and find some searching expertise? Contact us and explore our job board, we can help you online and off.