5 Ways to Leverage Social Media to Get That Job You Deserve
I’m a huge Dr. Phil Fan, If you're anything like my husband and you’d stop reading here. But Wait! I promise this has something to do with getting the job you deserve. Dr. Phil was talking to this guy who hadn’t had a job in over a year, his situation had gotten so bad that he moved into his parents house and he’d become so discouraged that he’d literally given up on himself. I mean not getting out of bed, and playing video games all day giving up. He had applied for job after job and no one was calling him back, so he resigned himself to the fact that he must be a loser. Dr. Phil said something that has stuck with me to this day: he said, “Looking for a job is a full-time job. Get off your butt, get on the phone and break down every door”. This could not be more true about how we need to conduct our job search today.
No longer is it enough to sit around and wait for a job posting you are interested in to pop up, apply to it and then sit back hoping you’ll get a phone call, not if you want to get that job you’ve always dreamed of. These days you need to leverage social media to access all those hidden jobs that may not be posted. I really don’t like spitting out statistics in my blogs, takes me right back to writing essays in university, but I think these stats are important to share so you get what I’m talking about.
94% of recruiters are active on LinkedIn, but only 36% of candidates are. Job seekers prefer Facebook; with 83% reporting they are active there, compared to just 65% of recruiters. (Source: Jobvite)
73% of 18-34 year olds found their last job through a social network. (Source: Aberdeen Group)
59% of recruiters rated candidates sourced from social networks as “highest quality.” (Source: Jobvite)
I’m going to tell you one more stat (last one, I promise) but I think it’s a doosey. 80% of jobs are not advertised. (Source: Payscale.com) Are you convinced you need to get with the program in order to get the most out of your job search? Some of you may be holding your head in your hands thinking you don’t know where to start, putting together an effective resume was daunting enough. But listen. I’m not a huge fan of social media, call me old school. I like picking up the phone versus texting someone. There is something about a handwritten letter that I love, but with stats like these I realize that not leveraging social media in a job search would be a big mistake. It’s not as hard as you may think. Once you’re properly set up, all you need to do is maintain your presence.
Today, I’m going to talk to you about how to professionally establish yourself on social media and get it working for you. Taking the time to do this will keep you connected with professionals, recruiters and organizations. Trust me, in the long run it will make your job search easier – wouldn’t it be nice for someone to come looking for you for a change?
I would put this one on the top of your list. With 400 million users worldwide with the common goal to network and build bridges, this tool cannot be ignored in your job search. As a recruiter, I’ve spent a lot of hours in my day looking at profiles and contacting professionals about positions I was trying to fill. This is a great site to build your professional network with people in your industry who have the same interest as you. You can also stay connected to the latest developments in your industry which is invaluable when it comes to interview time. It’s not enough to copy and paste your resume, post a quick selfie and call it a day, you need to follow the tips below:
Build a Complete Profile: How well LinkedIn works for you depends on how well you build your profile. Don't rush it for the sake of getting to your networking goals. Include all your experiences, don't forget to use relevant keywords and be sure to provide links to your other profiles
Don’t be Repetitive: Instead of posting a carbon copy of your resume, try to present yourself in a different way. Add information that you didn’t have room for on your resume or use different wording
Establish your Personal Brand: Use a professional headshot (no selfies in the bathroom please), and create a catchy tagline
Follow Organizations: Once your profile is created, start following organizations that you are interested in. Stay on top of current news, announcements and career opportunities
Join Groups: Participate! Talk with others in your industry about current trends and post relevant content for others to comment on.
Search for Alumni: No better way to get into an organization than reaching out to their current employees. Ask for advice.
Stay active: Update your profile often, and reach out to your established network. Be personal, be authentic, and show your interest in learning. Everyone feels good about helping others out!
Everybody knows Facebook; we are on it constantly giving the play by play to our friends and family about everything that is happening in our daily lives. I want you to use it for professional networking. Word of caution: Keep your personal life separate from your professional brand!
Build a Complete Profile: There are ways to set your privacy settings so certain people can see content, but I prefer to create a separate profile for my professional brand. Upload your professional headshot and create a professional cover photo that represents you. Be sure your career aspirations, your skills and talents are at the forefront.
Build your Network: Like organizations and request to join groups. Remember social media only works if you work it. You’ve got to be active and participate!
Be a Thought Leader: Start discussions, answer questions, comment, and post relevant information. Remember, keep it professional at all times!
Be on the Look out for Job Postings: Keep active, and visit your liked pages often to stay on top of job postings.
Human's are visual by nature and love receiving valuable information without having to read it. If you want to display how creative you really are , this platform provides a unique way to display what you have to offer.
Create a Headline: Include your goals, skills and what makes you special
Create an Infographic Resume: You know I love an infographic resume. What a great way to visually tell a story about yourself. Stay tuned to my blog. I'll be covering this topic soon. Don't know what I mean by infographic resume? Here are some pretty amazing examples http://infographicworld.com/…/15-amazing-infographic-resum…/
Create Boards Featuring Professional Information: Be sure that what you post reflects your goals and interests
Oh technology. If you want to know about somebody or something, you google it, don’t you? Google+ is a great way to show up in google search results in a good way.
Create a Profile: Include information from your resume and upload a professional profile photo. In the "About" section, be sure to let your network know what your career aspirations are, how awesome you are and that you are looking for opportunities
Use Circle Feature: Include recruiters, professionals and alumni in your industry, as well as industry leaders. Connect with people who have their own circle of influence and again participate by sharing content.
Hangout: Participate in hangouts that are relevant to your interests
I'm pretty new to the twitterverse but it's so cool! What a great way to stay on top of current events and be involved in conversations as they happen. Tweet. Tweet. Tweet to learn about industries, follow leaders, share and establish connections that build your personal brand.
Create a Handle: Use your name or combination of your name and profession
Upload a Headshot: Like any professional network site. You got to keep it professional
Create a Professional Profile: Briefly describe what type of opportunities you are looking for and add links to all your other social profiles. Be sure to highlight your top skills!
Show em' What you Got: Tweet links to relevant articles or samples of your work
Follow Organizations: Look for interesting Tweetchats or Tweetups to join
Re-tweet and Reply: This will help you start building those connections
Search and Follow Hashtags: This will help you find opportunities relevant to your industry
Search for jobs: By job title, location etc.
I know it looks overwhelming and there is lot of work to do. But trust me, all the hard work you put into establishing yourself professionally on social media will result in getting that job you deserve. I recommend that you start with your LinkedIn profile and go from there. Once you have created one profile, you’ll get the hang of it and you’ll become more efficient and in no time you'll be a social media dynamo!
Now go get social, connect with some like-minded people and show that resume who's Boss!
I almost forgot! Shameless Plugtime: Check me out www.resumesbycvboss.com
Next Week: The Interview: How to Nail it!
Photo Credits: Antoine
JC Halfkenny is CV Boss. With over 20 years of recruitment experience she has reviewed thousands of resumes and hired hundreds in various industries such as manufacturing, spa and wellness, finance, retail and aviation. As an experienced recruiter, she knows the secret of resume writing lies in knowing precisely what to put in, precisely what not to put in, and exactly what kind of a spin to put on a resume, to ensure it will stand out from the crowd.
