In this day and age, recruiting and hiring are all about networking (both in-person and online). As you might expect, a sizable share of recruiters use LinkedIn and some use Facebook to attract job hunters. You might also be interested in knowing that more than half of recruiters and HR staffing specialists use Twitter to advertise their job announcements. In addition to Twitter, Jobvite also identifies social networks like Instagram, Vimeo, Github, Stack Overflow, XING, Yammer, and Pinterest as common sources recruiters use to find talent.
When you’re using social networking in your job search, you need to keep in mind two things: what sites are used for what purposes, and what recruiters look for on social networks.
Let’s take a closer look:
1. Know what sites are used for what purpose.
Different kinds of websites are being used by companies differently. For example, Twitter is a good site for a company showcasing itself. The easiest way to gain corporate visibility and draw people to the company’s website is by sending out tweets about available positions.
On the other hand, other companies build their image and reputation by putting out much more information about their values, products, and services through a Facebook page. More than half of the companies utilize this site as a means of bolstering their own employee referral programs, wherein they reward current employees for bringing their attention to applicants who are successfully recruited.
Thus, look at what companies are saying about themselves on these social networking sites; follow them and start to interact with them. Develop relationships, and don’t be afraid to promote yourself and build your own credibility.
Most importantly, never ignore what LinkedIn can do. This website is the complete package; it has practically everything a job seeker could ask for. Make sure your profile is complete and up to date. Participate actively in LinkedIn groups, and look for all possible opportunities both in the main “Jobs” tab as well as those in other tabs.
2. Know what recruiters look for on social networks.
Resumes provide a crucial explanation of your work history and the value you can offer to your next employer. However, they don’t generally indicate that you are a good “fit” for the job. This is why recruiters reported that they are likely to look at a candidate’s social profile to see if they will consider an applicant based on what they find.
With the help of these profiles, they will find out much more about your personality, attitude, and general ability to communicate effectively by what you post. Plus, they will be able to assess your expertise and your willingness to share it.
Hence, you’ll need to formulate a unique strategy to create a social media representation of your personal brand and expertise. Here are some simple but effective ideas to help you accomplish this:
- Check the accuracy and completeness of your LinkedIn profile. Include a great close-up headshot, exceptional skills, highlighted major accomplishments, and achievements at each of your current and previous positions.
- Participate in forums and discussions that pertain to your skill sets, roles, and industries in LinkedIn’s groups and other social media accounts where these discussions exist. Contribute knowledge and ideas so that you’ll acquire a reputation in your field.
- Follow Twitter accounts, Facebook pages, and WordPress (or any other) blogs of companies, and interact with them or their employees.
- Post your volunteer activities and nonreligious charitable donations. Show how generous and caring you are as a person; talk about the causes you support. This will surely make a good impression.
- Make sure that your profile is clean, with no reference to illegal drugs, sexual matters, or profanity, and double-check for misspelled words and grammatical errors. Delete any photos that might be construed as inappropriate.
Take time to embrace social media and you will become better known and liked; you’ll gain value and trust. A few simple steps can enable you to build an outstanding reputation and could even lead to gainful employment.