Job hunting is all about networking, and social media provides a world-wide network of people so it seems obvious to marry the two – but, is it?
Resources like LinkedIn and job boards are heavily relied on when job hunting, so Twitter and Facebook tend to fly under the radar. This is a missed opportunity as web savvy companies are always on the look for new talent, and you never know who you could end up connecting with.
Here are my top 10 tips for using Facebook and Twitter for your next job search.
Twitter:
1. Follow key players and company pages in industries that interest you.
2. Don’t stop there. Interact with them by retweeting messages you find interesting, and provide personal insight by tweeting them with questions and comments.
3. Don’t tweet just to tweet – fill your feed with thoughtful observations that show your fun personality but stay professional. Seventy-five per cent of content should be informational and/or relevant to your industry, and 25 per cent can be based on your personal interests/lifestyle
4. Let your followers know you are searching – remember that whole networking thing? This is where it comes in handy. You never know whose company may be hiring and you can get a foot in the door.
5. Use the bio section to link to your LinkedIn page, professional website and give a brief summary of who you are as a person.
Facebook:
1. Following company Facebook pages will give you the inside track to when they are hiring – you can also see if any of your friends like that page and may have inside information.
2. Employee referrals are a preferred method of hiring at many companies and you are more likely to be better acquainted with the people in your Facebook network than your LinkedIn network.
3. Use lists to separate what you share with friends and what you share with potential employers. This is an excellent way to allow them a peek into your life while keeping your weekend activities private.
4. Much like Twitter, you can let your friends know that you are looking – but, if you do this make sure your current employer isn’t able to access your page.
5. Keep your profile simple, clean and free of any pictures you wouldn’t bring with you to an interview.
The key to using these two services for social networking is to keep your profiles professional but interesting. Unlike LinkedIn and other traditional ways of finding work, these sites allow you to show your personality, which can be a large part of an employer’s decision on hiring you.
Happy hunting!
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