Social Media and social networking is no new concept in the job search space. Depending on who you ask – you’ll receive varying tips to build your network and possibly land a job.
Some of the advice is good, but as one Recruiter shared, “Don’t listen to all the bad advice out there – if it seems crazy it’s because it is”.
At a Minnesota Recruiters event a week ago, we asked Recruiters to identify useful tips for job seekers when they are leveraging social media in their job search.
We compiled the list into the following 25 bite-size tips:
- Use social media as a vehicle, not a substitute for an in-person interaction
- Remember your audience and that social doesn’t necessarily mean casual
- Engaging in social shouldn’t be a one-way communication or conversation
- Don’t fall for all the fads. It’s likely you won’t find your next job browsing Pinterest, although some of the worst recruiting consultants make it seem like a viable channel to be found
- Pick one or two social sites and be active. It’s also important to have your profile and any links on other static sites that you do not visit as frequently
- Use the right keywords in order to be found
- Have a Skype account, make the offer to conduct a digital interview or ask if the company uses a video interviewing service
- Post industry content on the social sites and be focused
- Don’t be afraid to reach out to employers directly via social sites
- Your social presence is your personal brand – protect it
- Use social media for validation, see who you know, what they’re saying – it’s great for research
- Don’t listen to all the bad advice out there – if it seems crazy it’s because it is
- Check out a company’s social profiles to see if they have FAQs to help answer any questions you may have
- Increase the visibility of your personal and professional brand by posting several times a month on the various social sites
- Educate yourself about it before using it
- Keep your information current
- Be targeted and visible
- Set goals and prioritize activities (making connections, in person meetings, etc)
- Post your resume on sites like Facebook – it’s part of your brand too
- Follow company pages and social channels as they can contain information or updates you might not find elsewhere
- Stay on top of changes to the sites (ex. LinkedIn’s recent launch of “endorsements”)
- Quality vs. quantity
- Don’t sit back and wait for things to happen – take charge and make it happen
- Do it right or don’t do it at all
- Giving back to your network should be as big of a priority as receiving
Additional tips? Use the comments section.
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Agree with pretty much all the points in this article. I would add two more:
1. In every use of social media, ask yourself “does this make me appear desperate?”. There’s nothing more unattractive than seeing a candidate who appears to have no options and whose every interaction on social media is a desperate plea for help.
2. Invest time in really getting to know the inner workings and the tricks and shortcuts of each social networking platform you commit to using. I am staggered when I see how few candidates on LinkedIn know how to contact people outside their network, etc. If something is worth doing, it is worth doing well…
I agree with Tony on the additional 2 recommendations he offered.
I also want to re-emphasize step #1. Don’t negate the human interaction that social media creates. Take the online discussions offline. You’d be surprised how many people are more than willing to sacrifice the time to sit and talk about the opportunity you are seeking. Social is a good way to set up informational interviews too.
Bravo! #25 is key … I would move it to the #1 position. Networking is a lifestyle. It requires an ongoing commitment to giving, helping and supporting contacts. If you wait until you are out of a job to start networking, you are too late. Keep connecting and giving and one day, when you really need help, your network will be there for you.
Thank you for the list of tips I must say I agree with all 25, however coming from a medical devices recruitment company I would say generalisation doesn’t always work, and I would pay a lot of attention on #2 as a starting point.
As in every other marketing activity knowing your customers is very important in putting a campaign together and it is no less important when you are using the social media.
What you post, when you post and where you post it differs from industry to industry and knowing your audience is absolutely mandatory.
Pick one platform and master it then move on the becoming better at other channels
Before you press ask yourself if it passes the “So what?” test
Very few people portray themselves accurately online (hence, their “brand” is a lie)
The telephone and handshake are the ultimate social tools – learn to use these before you 140
If you call yourself a Guru, Expert, Ninja, or Rockstar be aware that as recruiters we will laugh at you and make fun of your posts
We agree with alk 25 You ONLY have ONE reputation!! We use cutting-edge technology to Create, Manage and Maintain your Social Media
presence, “So Chill” we got your “Social
Media” covered
Be conscious of the photo that you use on your profiles as well. Use a basic head and shoulders shot (don’t forget to smile), not some pic from the latest party etc that does not portray you in a postive light
I would like to add: Be/stay yourself!
All this advice is good advice but if you are going to play a roll then a good recruiter will notice this!
The list is helpful, thank you for sharing it. Since every 1 out of 5 recruitment searches is on mobile and social media plays an important role, I feel there should be a platform which helps recruiters without breaking a sweat. In my opinion mobile recruitment if integrated with social media will change the whole system of recruiting. I would recommend you to try the app in the below link and get back if it makes sense.
http://www.imomentous.com/career-connect/
Cheers!
This article is immensely accurate! Some of the elements listed are so simple yet they are insanely crucial, if you miss something that is listed here, you may not know it, but it can massively affect your job search. I agree completely with this article!