I saw this
article somewhere and believed it will be useful for someone.
Did you know
that social media can help to land you your first real job?
Many job
seekers are still using traditional job search methods which may unknowingly be
the cause of the poor responses they get.
Up until a
decade ago, if you had the right “hard” skills (i.e., C++ programming), you
were almost guaranteed a job. You could almost trade your university degree for
a job upon graduation. Then, as the economy changed and became more
competitive, companies started to pay attention to a new set of skills. Soft
skills (i.e., communication, organization, leadership, etc) became increasingly
important as a way to choose one candidate over another. Companies were
interested — and still are — in passion, teamwork and cultural fit. But when
two candidates look the same on paper, the differentiator will be their online
influence.
Most young
adults have used social media to connect directly to friends and share personal
experiences casual conversations with their networks. It is estimated that the
average young person uses Social Media at least 10 hours in a day. Yet most
people hardly realise interacting on social networks with an eye toward your
career is achievable.
Using social
media for professional purposes doesn’t mean you have to give the conversations
up. In fact, most times, it makes a person come across as more genuine and more
approachable. But refining your language, highlighting content and information
that’s more career-focused, and connecting and conversing with more people
outside your immediate group of friends signifies that you’re interested in
more than just the personal.
Less
obvious, but perhaps more effective, is the ability to connect directly to the
brands you’d love to work for, as well as the people behind those brands. While
you keep your eyes peeled for job postings offline, here are 7 ways to use your
social media to land you your first job.
1. Google
Yourself
Yes. This is
not necessarily the first step but googling yourself will help you know your
first impression to potential employers. So what comes up when you google
yourself? If you’ve ever posted anything under your real name then it could
show up in a search. So if you’ve ranted
about an organisation or expressed any views that are contrary to their policy,
you could be shooting yourself in the foot. It’s best to get this sorted before
you start applying.
It’s much
better to have nothing much associated to your name on Google than to have an
online profile that makes employers turn their heads. This just means you can
right the wrongs. It’s time to remove them from the eye of the public. Make
them completely private; even your friends shouldn’t have access to them.
Delete them even, but quickly replace them with better pictures and more
reasonable content so that if possible, they don’t look like they were done
recently.
2. Get a
Professional Email Address
Think about
your email address too. It’s time to graduate from your childish email address.
If you’ve been using a very random email account as your primary email address,
you might want to think about setting up an alternative address for your applications.
Upgrade to a Gmail account. And please make it a professional sounding email.
Nobody hires Barbie234@gmail.com or toughcoin007@yahoo.com.
3. Open a
LinkedIn Profile
If you’re
not already on LinkedIn, you must get a profile. Like, now. Go open one, we’ll
wait.
Okay, good,
you’re back. Now, go on that new LinkedIn page and start putting it to work.
First, fill it in completely. Think of this as an online home for your CV: all
your education, skills and experience should be here. Don’t leave your photo
blank: upload a simple, flattering headshot. Now, start making
connections. LinkedIn allows you to find
people in a variety of ways. You can search manually, port over your email
contacts and have LinkedIn find your friends that way, or you can find your
college or university and browse users that way.
Connect with
your friends, but also connect with people in your academic field and in any
organisation you belong to, even if you’re not close. You should also connect
with any professors and respectfully interact with them occasionally. It won’t
be difficult getting advice or recommendations from them when in need.
4. Clean up
your Facebook and Twitter
Potential
employers will look at your Twitter and Facebook. Yes, that’s the world we live
in. Some students think they are smart, so they might change their Facebook
name to “First Name Middle Name”, apparently assuming that they’re going to
avoid being found by nosy relatives and potential bosses. Guess what? Facebook
and Twitter are getting smarter with searches. You might fool your grandma, but
you won’t fool an employer that really wants to find you. This is not to say
that your Facebook and Twitter profiles should be blank, though; they need to
reflect your interests and competence. Share some smart articles with your
comments on them. Write about things related to the industry you’re about to
become part of. Make knowing you interesting on these platforms.
5. Set up a
blog
Applying
with a CV and cover letter will not always work. Studies show that recruiters
spend about eight seconds on a CV. This is obviously not a long time to impress
them. However, creating a blog with content that stands out and showcases what
you have done before may do the trick. This will demonstrate initiative and, if
you do it right, could be a good way of showing off your creativity and
communication skills, as well as presenting a suitably professional image.
If your blog
address is on your CV, then it’s an opportunity for someone to spend more time
checking you out, sharing your story and work samples, and learning things they
never might have never taken the time to dig into about you otherwise.
Your blog
can serve as the perfect platform for sharing your work and ultimately landing
you a job. But if you create one and no one sees it, it’s not really doing the
trick at all. So make sure you update your CV and social media profiles with
the link to your website, and include it in your email signature, so when
you’re communicating with employers, it’s left, right, front and center.
6. Augment
your Social Media Presence with Job Search Apps and Forums
People are
starting to use mobile applications to see job openings near them and apply
with just a few touches of an iPhone or Android. In fact, it is estimated that
20% of job seekers use their smartphone in their search for a job. These mobile
apps often put employers and job seekers on the same platform and let you set
up a profile that can in turn attract these potential employers. Also, people
quickly forget important social forums but they are great for getting people to
recommend your skills easily to interested employers. Do not neglect to create
an impression or profile that bangs just because you are not face to face with
an employer.
7. Finally,
spread the news
Remember
that the web isn’t just there to catch you. It can also be your friend in the
recruitment process. You might want to to share a Facebook status update or a
tweet that shows you’re looking for a job. There is nothing to be ashamed of:
you just got your degree and you’re ready to put it to good use. Think of a
good update that won’t seem desperate. Tell your friends to share the
status/tweet and recommend you to people they know. Some graduate recruiters
use social media to make it easier for graduates to get in touch and find out
about their organisations. This can be an excellent opportunity to network.
Constant
self-promotion is almost always frowned upon in social media. Remember it’s a
public arena. Keep most of your posts (at least 80%) to conversation,
third-party content, general comments and questions, and keep the sales pitches
at a minimum.
Instead,
think about what types of content will give your audience the most value,
especially when it also suggests you’re open to educating yourself on a
wide-range of ideas. Most importantly, use social media wisely.
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