Using Social Media Effectively Whilst You're Looking For Work
02.02.2016
These days almost everyone has one or more social media accounts that they use to stay in touch with friends and share news, gossip and photos. However, you should be aware that a prospective employer is almost certain to check you out on social media.
It is therefore vital to either:
- be sure that your social media profile will reflect very well on you and is work-oriented; or
- have your 'playtime' social media profile set to strictly private, and set up a separate profile for your professional self.
We'd almost always recommend doing the second.
In nearly every case it is best to keep your professional and private life separate
Even if you are not the sort of person who does things like putting personal problems or embarrassing photos online, sites such as Facebook can show your business and work contacts graphic details of what your friends get up to in their spare time.
Unless you have complete mastery of the complicated privacy settings it's highly likely that someone connected with work will see something personal about you or a friend that you don't want them to see - something that will have a negative effect on how you are perceived. Don't let what you - or your friends - get up to outside work spoil your chances of getting the job you want.
Your professional profile - the basics
Start by tracking down everyone you know in a professional capacity - colleagues, ex-colleagues, friends and contacts in the same line of work as you (or the line of work you want to get into), and making contact with them. Once you've made a few contacts then you will usually see suggestions from their contacts.
Most sites - especially LinkedIn - will walk you through setting up a profile, with reminders and on-screen prompts to help you put as much information as possible onto your profile. Think of this as an online CV - you want your skills, experience, employment history and education to be accessible.
Currently out of work?
If you are currently unemployed do be honest. Being out of work is not something to be ashamed of. If you have no recent work experience then you might want to consider doing some voluntary work. As well as broadening your experience, this also shows people that you are serious about wanting to work.
Taking it further and creating a personal brand
If you have the time you should share things to do with your job, or the industry that you work in, with your contacts. This shows someone looking at your profile that you are - at the very least - staying up to date with what happens in your industry.
Starting a blog
You can take it one step further and start your own blog (LinkedIn has its own article publishing system, or you could use free platforms such as Blogger, WordPress or Tumblr) to publish and then share your posts on social media.
Once you start adding your own thoughts, knowledge and experience and being an active participant in the online community that represents your chosen niche or industry then it is there for potential employers to see. You might even find that your blog brings you job offers!
Which social media site should I use?
In nearly every instance the best site to use will be LinkedIn. Not having a presence here is usually seen as a major negative point by recruiters because this is a platform that is built around people looking for work and sharing professional knowledge.
A presence here - even for an individual - is effectively a business page for your personal brand. This is somewhere you can list all your skills and experience so that prospective clients and employers can see your skills and the services you offer. It is where you can record endorsements of your work and other professional achievements.
Unlike other sites mentioned, LinkedIn is a service specifically designed to build business contacts and help people look for work. It's the number one 'must have' social media site for any professional person. As well as creating a personal profile you can join groups connected with your industry or job to share knowledge. Many recruiters post vacancies to LinkedIn and you can subscribe to these job feeds.
Facebook is more recreation-oriented (it was originally a sort of alumni site for students in America) but many people do also have a professional profile there. If you're going to start blogging or sharing news from your industry then you might want a profile here as well as LinkedIn, as you can very easily share your blog posts - or those of others - together with videos and photos. If you're looking for a job locally you can also use Facebook to let your friends and contacts know what you are after. You might get recommended or have someone recommended to you.
Twitter is another site that can be used to set up alerts for jobs or other information, or to quickly share news stories online. This is more often used as a 'micro-blogging' platform (basically a shared group text service). Most businesses will have a Twitter and it's a great way to get up to the minute news from the people or organisations that you're interested in.
What about once I have a job?
Do not stop using your social media pages. Keep your networks going, stay in touch with your contacts, and look to grow your presence online. Savvy recruiters use social media for headhunting and you might find that you get job offers coming into your inbox!
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