According to one study, 78% of employers scan the social media profiles of a potential hire. However, most social media can be used as job-hunting tools themselves. Popular social media platforms give you the opportunity to network, look for job ads, and build an image of a reputable professional. Keep reading to find a list of top social media that you can benefit from as a job-seeker.
What social media platforms are best for job-seekers?
Employers use LinkedIn as a go-to platform to source candidates. 87% of recruiters report using this social media on a regular basis. Since LinkedIn is designed to connect professionals and help them find new opportunities in the first place, it offers a lot of helpful options. Here, you can create a virtual resume and describe your work history, education, skills, and other activities in detail. LinkedIn is also a powerful networking tool where you can reconnect with former alumni and colleagues, as well as expand your professional circle.
On LinkedIn, you can follow target companies, subscribe to their updates, and look for jobs in a special section. You can apply through the platform directly, no resume is needed. Moreover, if you purchase a premium subscription, it allows you to see how you compare to other job-seekers, get top job recommendations and access the library of LinkedIn Learning courses. If you’d like to use only one social media for job hunting, LinkedIn is probably the best choice.
LinkedIn recommendations for job-seekers:
- Complete your profile. A half-empty profile won’t bring good results in your job search. Upload the picture, and add new skills and all credentials you have.
- Stay active. Publish new posts a few times a month, more often is better. Publications should be relevant to your industry or profession.
- Connect with everyone you know – and keep building new connections. Connections are the most important element of this social media, as you can meet someone who works in your dream company and ask for a recommendation. Ideally, you need to have 500+ connections.
Facebook is an informal social network with over a billion active users. It is mostly used to stay in touch with friends and family, but you can effectively use it for job searching as well. In 2017, this social platform launched a Jobs section where you can browse openings in a specific company or look for opportunities by keywords or industries. Many companies have Facebook pages, so you can follow them and stay updated about the company news and recently posted jobs. Joining the communities in your industry is also a great opportunity to expand your network.
Since Facebook is not purely a professional network, you can show more personality here than on LinkedIn. If you are currently not employed, you can create a post to inform your network that you are job-hunting and add relevant hashtags.
Tips to create an effective Facebook profile:
- Remove any explicit, profane, or sensitive content from your page. When a potential employer will look up you online, they are most likely to visit your Facebook page and evaluate your cultural fit based on it.
- Show your personality. A Facebook page shouldn’t be only about work. Show your hobbies, interests, travel pictures, and other facts from your personal life.
- Subscribe to influencers and interesting companies. In this way, you’ll receive updates about job opportunities right in your feed.
The biggest benefit of Twitter as a platform for job searching is that you can communicate with recruiters directly. In this social media, just like in other ones, you can subscribe for company updates or search the open jobs using hashtags. You can share posts that show your expertise to other people and in this way expand your network. Moreover, Twitter gives you an opportunity to stay updated about professional conferences as people often tweet the main ideas from such events.
How to use Twitter to search for a job:
- Add career-related hashtags in your profile description to let people know that you are open to new opportunities and let the recruiters find you.
- Write tweets about your professional accomplishments, ideas, or interests. Informing people in your industry about your notable achievements is a great way to showcase your professionalism.
- Retweet interesting posts, and don’t forget to add your hashtags.
The use of Instagram for recruiting has grown to 37% since 2017. Recruiters value this social platform because it allows for evaluating the candidate’s personality type, interests, and self-presentation. If you share content related to your career interests and goals, a recruiter can understand your cultural fit as well. Moreover, if you are a photographer, designer, or another professional who can show the visual results of your work, Instagram is the right platform to showcase samples of your work which can be helpful in your job search.
Just like Facebook, Instagram isn’t a completely professional social network, but there are plenty of options available. You can follow the companies you’re interested in, as well as influencers in your industry, browse new jobs in company profiles or professional pages, or search the open positions using hashtags.
Here’s how to make a professional Instagram page:
- Make your profile public. Otherwise, the recruiters won’t be able to connect with you and evaluate your cultural fit.
- Clean up your posts. Remove pictures and posts that can come across as offensive, unprofessional or inappropriate.
- Share pictures that expose your personality. You don’t have to publish only job-related posts, share the pictures that show your hobbies, interests, and activities you’re engaged in.
How to use social media for job search effectively?
To streamline your job search on social media, be sure to follow these rules:
- Clean up your online presence before you start looking for jobs. Employers will check your online profiles for sure, and if they find something inappropriate or offensive, your interview chance will be under threat;
- Focus your efforts. Using all of the above social platforms can be time-consuming. It’s more effective to look for jobs on 1-2 social platforms, so choose the ones which are the most popular in your industry;
- If you already have a job, be careful with job-hunting posts and hashtags. Chances are that some of your colleagues or your boss will find this out, and you will risk losing your current job;
- Expand your network. Follow interesting companies as well as influencers and contact the hiring managers directly if the platform allows you to do so. The more people you have in your network, the higher your chance to get an interview with your dream company;
- Keep your resume updated. Even if you look for a job on Instagram, the hiring manager is likely to request a traditional resume, so keep a professional, properly formatted document at hand.
Why hire a professional resume maker?
If you want to make a great first impression with your resume and receive more interview calls, consider hiring professional resume writers. A professional resume consultant will strengthen the content, add keywords and polish the design to make your resume more effective. In addition to a resume, you can order a LinkedIn or other social media profile development.
About the Author
Alison McKinley is a professional resume/CV editor and works with article writers at a prosperous teacher resume writing services company. She has worked in the sphere of career building and HR strategies for several years, which now successfully helps her to assist job seekers with their resumes and interviews. Alison is also fond of writing, psychology, and personal development.
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