Today’s job searchers have a full arsenal of socially savvy tools at their disposal, from professional networking sites to social sites that allow you to reach out to former colleagues and old friends.
Read on for 5 top tips to use social media to your advantage during your job search!
1. Know the Tools
If it’s been a while since you’ve explored the job market, you might be a little hesitant to use social media tools as part of your job search. Fortunately, there are a number of well-known, vetted sites that will allow you to safely post your professional information.
LinkedIn has been steadily growing in popularity; it’s a must use site for the serious job seeker. The best candidates take time with their LinkedIn profiles, including a professional photograph, and carefully worded description of your experience and current career goals.
You may also want to try using more traditionally “social” media for your professional needs. Both Twitter and Facebook allow for the careful cultivation of a professional online persona that can give you an advantage in the current job market.
Twitter is great for sharing and communicating with other professionals in your field. Follow what leaders are reading and thinking about in your industry, and it may just lead to some insight as you search for the perfect position to fit your skills and interests.
2. Reach Broadly
Once you’ve started making connections via LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, and Google+, consider reaching beyond your trusted network of close friends and associates. Oftentimes the people with whom we share a loose connection can serve as a bridge to part of a larger professional world.
Identify people in your desired industry by browsing through some of your mutual friends and connections, then don’t be shy from asking for an electronic introduction. Casual, friendly questioning via social media is a great way to learn more about your ideal job and it may even lead to an offer down the road.
3. Hitting the Right Tone
When using social media to promote yourself professionally, it’s important to strike the right tone. Consider the industry where you plan to seek employment. Is it most important to appear friendly and approachable? Or should you adopt a more conservative, authoritative tone?
Either way, it’s important to remember that even in the field of social media, respectful language and professional grammar never go out of style.
4. Perfect Your Pitch
As you begin to reach out to friends, colleagues, and new connections, try to boil down your vision of your professional self to a few pithy words. What are the key points about your experience that you want to communicate?
Once you’ve identified these strengths, interests, and/or goals, it will be easier to naturally cover these points without sounding too “sales-y.”
5. Leave Them Wanting More
Social media sites can be a great place to showcase examples of your work. Use the full power of the web by linking to completed projects, past clients, or online publications to give a better picture of your experience. However, be careful to not overexpose your work.
Consider creating short excerpts of your professional portfolio to include on your social media profiles. Give potential employers just enough information to want to know more about their next potential hire.
In Closing…
By exploring ways to leverage social media, you can catapult yourself above other candidates for your job search success. Happy Searching!
Supporting You One “Savvy Step” at a Time!
Share with me… What social media tools do you use for job searching?
Looking forward to hearing from you!
