When you're looking to get into a new job, there is a good chance that you've taken steps to update your resume, learn about the job opportunities in your area, and develop your cover letter writing skills. But you might not know how important it is to have a professional social media presence. We live in a digital age, so potential employers will search for you online before they hire you. Having profiles on several social networking sites can allow you to showcase your skills and abilities. Social media accounts also allow you to grow your network, nurturing genuine relationships with other professionals within your industry.
In this article, we discuss:
- How to revamp your social media profiles.
- How to use your social media accounts to drive traffic to your website.
- How to leverage your accounts for networking, using LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter.
- Other social media platforms which you can use to further your career, including Medium, Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok.
If you're interested in speaking to some job search experts, Enhancv has a wonderful group of career counselors. They offer expert advice on creating your own personal brand through your social channels.
Revamping your profiles
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You probably haven't stayed steady with updating your social media accounts, but don't worry about that, as you can start doing that now. All it takes is being vigilant in sharing and liking posts, and creating your own content. Consider these steps, when you're dusting off and revamping your social media accounts:
Search yourself on Google
I think we've all done it before, but it's fun to look yourself up on Google. Skip all the other people who share the same name as you and find your own social media accounts. This can help you to gauge your social media presence.
Did you find any content that may have popped up on Google? Is any of the information you find about yourself inappropriate?
Any potential employer will start by looking you up on Google, checking to see a bit more about you. Are you easy to find on Google? Could you add any more social media accounts to have a greater presence on the web?
Get rid of unprofessional content on your accounts
We've all got things on our Facebook and Instagram accounts that we wish we never posted, but remember, if an employer is searching you out online, this may be one of the first things that they see from you. An inappropriate joke or nonprofessional meme, may cause a potential employer to have the wrong first impression of you.
If you're young, and you're just starting out in an entry level role, the content on your social media accounts may hinder you from getting a great job.
Settle on just a few social media accounts
There is an old saying, "those who are a jack of all trades, are a master of none”. This means that you can dabble in a bunch of different things, but it takes dedication to a few skills to be able to master them.
This is especially true when potential jobseekers go about creating multiple professional social media profiles. Each social media platform is different, requiring different skills to properly master them. Video editing skills gained from Instagram may not help you to become a thought leader on a writing platform such as Medium.
When building your own personal brand through social media, be picky to find the one that suits your career aspirations.
Leveraging social media for networking.
There is a ton of potential to manage your social media accounts to showcase your skills and abilities as a seasoned professional in your field.
But you can also build a network of like-minded professionals, gleaning information about career opportunities. In fact, studies have found that 92% of hiring managers use social media during the hiring process.
Let's look at some main social media platforms that can help prospective candidates to establish strong professional networks:
Having a LinkedIn profile opens many doors for you as you begin your job search. Linked in is the number one social media account managers use during the hiring process. It's also the best place to showcase your skills, and you can almost use it as a master resume which lists all work experience.
LinkedIn also allows you to reach out to former employers, and this can allow you to grow your network and maybe gain a few referrals.
4 tips to harness the power of LinkedIn:
- Include all relevant information on the profile: Be sure to include a link to your website or portfolio, if you have them, as well as other social media accounts.
- Add to your network: You can also add new people to your network on LinkedIn. You can also join LinkedIn groups, and joining groups can allow you to gain a professional connection with complete strangers who share the same career ambitions. If you have a LinkedIn premium account, you can also send personalized messages to employers, colleagues, and those outside of your network.
- Skills assessments: Many people don't know this, but LinkedIn has skills assessments which you can complete to show your competency. These skills assessments may give you the upper hand in a job search, and also take very little time to complete.
- Search LinkedIn for job openings: Linkedin Jobs is a place where employers can post jobs and find the ideal candidate. As a jobseeker, you can utilize this resource to find a job that fits you, and you can also research the company's LinkedIn profile.
Facebook is not just the place where you can share cute photos of your kids or link to funny cat videos, but it is a powerful resource to use during a job hunt.
Almost every business has their own Facebook page, and just by scanning their page you can find valuable information that may influence your choice of applying.
3 Tips to Harness the Power of Facebook:
- Facebook jobs: Just like LinkedIn, Facebook has a place for employers to post job openings. It is incredibly easy to use, and in a few clicks you may be able to find job postings in a career you love.
- Join groups : Facebook pages are a lot more in depth than on LinkedIn, and you can see a little more about the company's culture and values by what they post on their page. For example, you may see pictures from a recent company get together, or you may find links to a video of the annual general meeting. It is a great jumping off point for researching a company.
- Post directly from your website to Facebook: Many websites hosting companies, like WordPress, have plug-ins which allow you to post articles directly from your personal website to your Facebook page and other social media pages. When you create content, you can instantly add it to your profile without leaving your website.
Twitter is a social media platform that gives you an opportunity to gain industry news, while also creating your own personal brand. You can create short, pithy statements in 280 characters, which can raise your presence in your profession. It also allows you to become a thought leader in your industry.
3 tips to harness Twitter:
- Create a professional profile: do your best to remove all non-relevant information on your Twitter account. Instead, you can use Twitter to share public posts about key topics in your industry. By sharing articles from other industry professionals, you can show potential employers that you are on the cutting edge of information related to your field.
- Use Twitter Lists for great news and content: Twitter also features lists which allow you to pick specific companies that have job vacancies.
- Establish a larger Twitter network: Like other platforms, Twitter allows you to search out relevant people and companies that you'd like to work for. You can consider following them, reading their posts, and following links to their blog. As you like and follow more people, you'll also notice the people they're following as well.
Other social media accounts
There are lots of different social media platforms which can help you in your job search, but the social media platforms listed below may be considered on the periphery of creating a strong career network. They aren't the first go to social media accounts that you should master, but they are helpful in showcasing more of your personal brand to potential employers.
Instagram is a great place to showcase your creative skills, through their video and photo editing software. If you are a graphic designer, most of your portfolio can be added to your Instagram page to get the word out more.
Medium is another great place to consider creating content on. It is an open blog platform, which is great if you're a freelance writer and would like to showcase your writing skills, even if you don't have any bi-lines or links for your portfolio.
YouTube and TikTok are also great sites to post original video content on. In fact, creating YouTube videos can be a great way to create informative content which is easy to understand.
Key points:
- A candidate's social media profiles can showcase real life experience gained throughout their career.
- You can also use your social media accounts to build relationships with real people and establish a strong network.
- Don't try to master all social media platforms, but just stick to a few.
If you're looking to get some professional help on how to find your dream job, speak to a career counselor at Enhancv.They can help you to come up with ideas to use your social media network while job hunting.
Make one that's truly you.
