Job hunting can often feel like a lot of effort for just disappointment in return. Disheartenment can often lead to procrastination in the form of whiling away hours liking pictures on Instagram or watching YouTube videos. But, what if your procrastination could lead to you landing a job? Nearly half (47%) of employers now assess a potential candidate's social media presence when hiring, so checking your profiles can be an important step in getting a job.* These skills are so important, that LifeSkills created with Barclays has included resources that teach you how to use social media in a professional and effective way. Below are my top tips on how to use social media to bag yourself a great job.
Research for results
Not sure where to research a new job other than a company's homepage? Utilising Twitter and LinkedIn can give you some incredibly valuable insights into a company that will really make you standout in an interview. LinkedIn can include information about a company such as who its employees are and the news it's interested in, while Twitter gives insight into the day to day running of the company, and who it connects with. 'Stalking' has never been so acceptable!
Party? What party?
You wouldn't launch into a detailed account of Friday night's escapades with your potential employer in an interview, so why let them find out from your social media profiles? Use your privacy settings to ensure your accounts show you off in the best light. LinkedIn allows you to showcase your skills and relevant work experience or training you've completed, so make sure it's up-to-date. Don't forget to also show passion in your industry through Twitter by posting about industry-relevant topics. LifeSkills has a Tweet or Delete game that helps you decide what would be appropriate.
Don't shy away
Putting yourself out there to find a job shows your drive to get into an industry or organisation, so don't be afraid to ask questions on LinkedIn and Twitter, even if you don't know the person directly. However, it's important not to be overly familiar and to stay targeted. Tweeting 'do you have a job vacancy?' to hundreds of companies won't garner much in return.
Acquaintances into colleagues
Networking events, career days or quick introductions may seem fleeting, but can be the source of important professional connections if you take the initiative to follow up. Adding a person on LinkedIn after a meeting can mean you'll get access to potential jobs you wouldn't before, and can help you keep all your contacts organised together in one place.
Express yourself
Social media is, above all, creative and expressive so can really help you stand out from the crowd. There's a whole host of success stories out there of young people using YouTube, Vine and Facebook to land themselves an interview for a job. Jess Toomey, an executive for youth marketing agency Livity, gained her job by turning her CV into a Vine.
*Reepler.com