5 Strategies to Help You Start Using Social Media to Your Advantage
Posted December 8th, 2014
As a job seeker, you probably understand what a powerful resource social media can be for connecting with potential employers. Unfortunately, the social media universe has become so vast and complicated that using it to your advantage can be a daunting process. Rely on these five simple strategies tailored specifically for the needs of job seekers.
Don’t Exclude Any Network
LinkedIn has the reputation as the social network of “professionals,” but that doesn’t mean you should focus all your energy here, or exclude any other network. Employers are also looking at Facebook, Twitter and others when they vet candidates. Plus, they are using these same networks to post job vacancies. Look around on the networks where you are already a member and you’ll probably be surprised how much they can add to your job search.
Play to Your Strengths
Every one of the major social networks lets you communicate in a different way. Twitter uses short messages, YouTube uses videos, Instagram uses pictures, etc. Determine which medium you come across best in and focus your energy there.
Seek Out Your Audience
You can’t be passive on social media. If you want to connect with employers, find out where they are and start following their content. Orbiting in the same social networks as companies you would like to work for helps you stay up to date about company news and employment opportunities. Plus, it puts you in a position that makes it easier for hiring managers to find/connect with you.
Understand the Risk
If you are conducting a confidential job search, the public nature of social media can create problems for you. Make sure that you keep your communications private, scrutinize your profiles for indications that you are job searching, and make sure that your current and potential employer don’t have close relationships in the same network. Also, make sure your profiles are scrubbed of any “unprofessional” content.
Optimize Your Profiles
Ideally, when an employer begins to search social media for prospective employees, your profile is the first one they see. Brainstorm the keywords you think they will be searching for and try to use those organically throughout your profile. Just make sure that everything you post is set to public.
Searching for a job is hard work, and trying to manage multiple social media profiles on top of it can seem like just another labor-intensive obligation. But in today’s employment landscape, no one looking for a job can dismiss the importance of social media or afford to let their profiles grow stale. If you’re serious about connecting with employers, find the guidance and assistance you need by contacting Bayside Solutions.
