How to use Social Media in Your Job Search
Most people cringe at the thought of a potential employer viewing their social media profiles for the information contained within those pages so it isn’t shocking that most people shy away from social media in every aspect if it involves employment.
But, perhaps avoiding social media is harboring your job search when it could actually help you find a job that you love. Many employers use social media in their hiring decisions and it is just as important that you use it in your quest for the perfect position.
Using Social Media to Find Your Next Career
When used correctly, social media considerably enhances a job seekers’ odds of finding and landing a great job. No matter where you reside, the experience you possess, or the type of position you seek, social media can go to work for you!
Between those posts from friends, your favorite artists and the meme pages, there’s also another side of social media that can improve and enhance life considerably, particularly when searching for a job. Some of the best ways to use social media in your job search:
Ask Friends
Post a status or a tweet letting your social media friends, followers, and acquaintances know that you’re in the market for a job. Word-of-mouth is an excellent tool for job-seekers, but you must make your intentions known to other people. Social media platforms allow the opportunity to get support, information and referrals from many people in a short time frame. It is one of the fastest ways to market a job!
Join Groups
Facebook is one social media site that has tons of groups in most any category imaginable, including job seeking/job search categories. Many of these groups are based in your local area. Join these groups and learn more about potential openings near you, meet new people, freshen up job interview skills and more.
Use the Right Sites
SnapChat is probably not the best choice for social media sites when searching for a job, although LinkedIn is perfect for business professionals and individuals seeking employment. Choose the sites that you’ll use for employment means carefully and you’ll prosper in your efforts. Use the wrong sites and you’ll find yourself playing with the newest filters rather than finding a new job.
Follow Employers
Following employers on social media provides another opportunity to be among the first to learn when new positions become available. You’ll also gain insight into the company that can help you get your foot in the door.
Employers like to hire employees who want more than a job. They want an asset to their company and people that take an interest before they’re even on the payroll are those who seem to offer the best value to the company.
The Importance of Social Media
Surveys conducted by CareerBuilder.com reports that ⅓ of employers use social media when hiring employees, citing they’ve found issues in the content that caused them not to hire a candidate. Half of the employers polled said inappropriate photos/content was the reason they didn’t hire the candidate while 45% said evidence of drug and/or alcohol use factored in their hiring decision.
Other reasons employers choose not to offer a candidate a position after viewing their social media profiles include:
- Bad-mouthing previous employers
- Discriminatory remarks concerning a person’s race, religion, or gender
- Lies/Deceptive behavior
- Poor communication skills
Let Your Social Media Profiles Help Your Cause
Employers use social media to learn more about the candidate at hand, but they’re looking for more than potential red flags that deter them from hiring. Employers use a candidate’s social media page to find information that would give them an advantage over other potential candidates.
The same CareerBuilder survey reported that 29% of employers found something positive on a social media page that led to consideration and/or hiring of a candidate.
Many hiring managers used a candidate’s social media profile to get a feel for their personality or their level of professionalism. Some employers use social media to verify information that is provided in an application and/or resume and still yet, others use these pages to check references.
Some employers used a person’s profile to determine their activity levels, their communication skills, and other qualities and criteria the employer was searching for.
Create an Employer-Worthy Social Media Profile
Building a strong social network profile is advisable to any job seeker. Whether you intend to use the social media tools in your job search or not, employers are looking at your profile. If you wonder why you aren’t getting those callbacks, perhaps you’ve found the answer. It is time to polish up your social media profiles and perhaps you’ll notice a significant change in the callbacks you receive.
A good social media profile starts with a clear profile photo, but it doesn’t stop there. Remove inappropriate content from your page as well. If you wouldn’t want your mother to see it, keep it off social media! It is important that you properly represent yourself when it is time to find employment.
Some people would suggest setting profiles to invisible or private, but doing so may limit the prospective employers who will take notice. It is best to keep the content on your social media profiles appropriate for even a workplace. Most importantly, take time to highlight your special skills, experience level and attributes that you can bring to the company.
Final Thoughts
Social media can help you or harm you when seeking employment in today’s technology-savvy world. With the information above in place, it is much easier to create a profile that takes your employment search to new heights rather than holds you back from the success that you’re looking to find.
If you’re ready to find a great job, give our talented employment specialists a call. Aloha International Employment offers skilled and unskilled positions and may be able to help you find the perfect person.