How to Utilize Social Media for Job-Seeking - CareerEnlightenment.com

How to Utilize Social Media for Job-Seeking According to Reed.co.uk, more than 53% of job seekers are now using social media to find new vacancies â€" with LinkedIn being the most popular platform thanks to their separate job search mobile app. However, with the increasing innovation of every social platform (we’re looking at you Twitter, with your increased word-count) it’s no wonder that recruitment industries are utilizing their job postings on various platforms for job seekers to stumble across.Each social networking site you use has its own best practices, pros, and cons. This all boils down to what you post, how you post and who you interact with or follow in your daily life. These characteristics are what employers will take at face-value when making a decision to invite you to an interview, let alone hire you for a position at their company.By developing your social media skills for your professional profile and active job-seeking, you can increase your chances of achieving a role that’s right for you:1. Follow industry experts, bloggers, and influencersBy following key experts in your chosen field of industry you are actively keeping up to date with the latest trends, innovations, and changes that might affect how you do your job and what skills you can bring to the table with said changes.It’s common practice for hiring managers to view your profile for background purposes â€" it’s also common for them to check who you follow in order to get an idea of your personality and interests. If they stumble upon the fact you follow key leaders and competitors in your chosen industry then this can give the impression that you’re well rounded and in the know.2. Talk about the industryIt’s one thing following industry experts â€" why not strike up a conversation or promote their content? This shows your potential employer your initiative and keenness to get involved even further in your chosen industry. If you’re on a busy schedule and writing isn’t really your thing replying to a twee t about an article or retweeting content you find relevant is enough to show your interaction with the industry.You never really know what an interaction could lead to â€" A key influencer in the field may be posting about a project you have the right skills to be involved in. Having an initial connection can put you ahead one step in the game.3. Connect with top recruitment agencies in your areaIt’s a no-brainer â€" by keeping on your local recruitment agencies radar you’re able to see their new job listings and connect with the right recruitment agents. Popular hashtags such as #town/cityjobs are often used by recruiters to seek candidates in a specific area. This will lead you to discovering a multitude of agencies you can contact directly.4. Create and/or develop a professional presence on your social accountsWe recommend a nice, clear photo to begin with â€" you don’t need a professional photographer to take this. Simply stand in front of a fairly clear background with go od lighting and set a timer (or get a friend to take the photo for you).Keep your bios and taglines professional. Mention your current job title or job-interest (e.g ‘Actively seeking a new role in Social Media) as this can entice a recruiter to message your openness to a new role. Want to Read More Articles Like This One?Sign up here to receive weekly updates from Career Enlightenment, and never miss another powerful job searching tip! SUBSCRIBE! You have Successfully Subscribed!We hate spam too. Unsubscribe any time. 5. Edit your privacy settingsIf you don’t want to untag yourself from drunken nights in Bali on Facebook then editing your privacy settings can save you from being placed in the no pile. There are plenty of guides online that can help you hide sections of your profile from potential recruiters.Although we recommend activity to boost your profile across your social channels, Twitter and Instagram have an option of completely hiding your profile altogether unle ss you approve a follow request. This can completely eliminate any unnecessary worry of a recruiter stumbling across anything they shouldn’t do.6. Showcase your workIf you’re seeking work in a creative industry then displaying your work visually online via social media is key. We highly recommend quality over quantity here â€" finished pieces of work rather than lots of ‘work in progress’ shots will look clean from a visual perspective. You can save you work-in-progress shots for the interview to inspire conversation. Platforms like Instagram (which isn’t the most common platform to recruit form) are brilliant for showcasing your portfolio in a digestible form which can be synced and shared with your Twitter and Facebook profiles simultaneously!7. Google yourselfHave you tried Googling yourself to see what actually comes up? Any images you find that might be deemed inappropriate can be removed by Google Support (or the website that is hosting the image through a contact fo rm).Any other content that might be deemed irrelevant (as well as inappropriate) should be taken down â€" this can be old blog posts, photos or social updates. An easy way to do this is simply updating your current profiles to reflect a professional persona, and delete any archived content.8. Make use of popular job-related apps:A. LinkedIn Job SearchThis is a standalone app synced with your existing LinkedIn account that suggests jobs based on your searches and current skills. It also shows common connections that also work at the job listings’ locationB. IndeedThis is without a doubt the most popular job-seeking app available (and it’s free!). This allows you to search for millions of jobs in all countries in a matter of seconds. It also has a special filter for ‘apply on your phone’ which is highly useful if your CV is already saved on your phone.C. GlassdoorIf you’re curious about a company’s reputation then Glassdoor is your number one app for job/company reviews th at will help you make an informed decision during your application process. Glassdoor also has a handy feature called ‘know your worth’ so you can find out exactly how much of a salary you should be making.