5 Ways You Can Use Social Media to Get a Job

By N. Cooper
Online Career Tips StaffÂ

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Blog
Take some time to set up a really slick, clean, aesthetically pleasing blog site.  You can do so very easily on a variety of free platforms.  Don’t have the time or web savvy to do it yourself? Find a student or even a freelancer to build something for you. It’s worth the investment.Employers want to know that they’re hiring the best of the best.  What better way to prove that that’s you than by showing that you’re an expert in your field?  A blog is a quick and easy way to do this. 

Set aside time 3-5 times per week to write a post. You don’t have to write a novel, and it doesn’t necessarily have to be about the field you’d like to enter.  Did something big happen in the news this week?  Did you see an advertisement or article that really made you think?  Basically, do you have something to say?If you’ve got something to say that you think an employer would like to hear, say it.  Blogging is a fantastic way to show a lot more about who you are than can fit on a resume, or even in an interview. A few tips:Â

• Be sure to stay neutral. Don’t rant and rave on any touchy topics like politics, religion, etc.  Some opinion is totally fine, but don’t go off the deep end; after all, this blog’s purpose is to assist you in your job hunt (think of it as an extension of an interview), not to make you look like a maniac.
  
• Keep posts short and sweet. Typically, a blog post with more than 4-5 paragraphs is a bit too long.  If you have a lot of content to share, make a bulleted list – it’s much easier for a reader to scan the information than it is to read a full paragraph.

[Build a free, customizable blog on WordPress.com] Â

Facebook
Facebook presents a slippery slope for some job candidates. The number one question I tell job seekers to ask   themselves about their profiles is: “What would Grandma think?”If your grandmother wouldn’t approve of your pictures, or of the content of your profile, chances are, an employer won’t either.  Here are some quick steps you can take to clean up your profile so you’re ready for that big interview:Â

• Upload a profile picture of yourself. Not yourself with friends. Not yourself smoking a cigarette.  Not yourself drinking a beer.  Not yourself cooing at your baby.  Of yourself.  Just you.  Keep it simple, clean and professional.
• Check your privacy settings. Facebook is ever-changing, and if you haven’t checked your privacy settings in a while, you’re not keeping up.  Edit your settings to what makes you comfortable, but a good rule of thumb to follow is to make your pictures only viewable by your friends, and hide your wall and contact information.  Not only will this clean up your profile for your job hunt, but it’s a tweak that will protect your personal information and keep you safe.
• Detag if necessary. Employers really don’t want to see you doing a keg stand, or you dressed up as whatever you dressed up for for Halloween.  Keep it clean, folks.  Remove tags from any pictures grandma may not like or even understand.
• Share content. Did you read a great article today?  Or maybe you wrote an awesome blog post.  Share a link with your Facebook friends.  Maybe your friend Charlie will see a link you posted about Marketing and Advertising — who knows? You might log in next time to an inbox message from Charlie, who’s got a Marketing position open at his company.  He saw your article, thinks he remembers that you’re looking for a job, and is wondering if you’d be interested.

Twitter
You don’t get it? Yeah, lots of folks don’t.  That’s what I’m here for.Join Twitter.  It may be tough to get going, but you’ll thank me later.  Create a username and log in.  It’s easy to get overwhelmed, but don’t.  In another tab or browser window open Twitter Search.  Go ahead, type in a word that interests you.  Are you looking for a job in Finance? Type “Finance.” See what comes up.Start following the people who are tweeting about the keywords that interest you.  Share their content. Contribute to the conversation.  Here are a few general tips:Â

•  Again, keep it neutral. Don’t rant and rave, this isn’t a forum for that; it’s a forum for exchanging ideas, sharing content, and engaging in productive conversation.  Twitter can be the perfect tool to assist you in your job hunt, don’t blow it.
• Upload a picture. People like to know that they’re talking to a person.  Upload a headshot of some sort; not the logo of your favorite sports team, the picture of your favorite actor… a picture of you and you alone.
• Retweet relevant content. You might be asking yourself “What the heck is a retweet!?” – fret not, there’s a little link under each tweet that says “Retweet,” click it – see what happens!
• Follow people from the companies you’d like to work for and engage them in conversation. There’s no harm (or shame) in talking to people.  If they didn’t want to engage in conversation, they wouldn’t be on Twitter. Go ahead, tweet them, don’t be shy!

LinkedIn
LinkedIn is an invaluable resource if you’re looking for a job.  Often times, companies only post jobs to LinkedIn.  You read that right: if you’re only looking on career boards and websites, there are plenty of jobs you’re missing out on.Sign up on LinkedIn, populate your profile (it’s just like a resume) and start networking.  Connect with people from your last job, people you went to school with, and friends and family.  Post that you’re looking for a job, post what kind of job you’re looking for; you never know who’s watching and looking for someone like you to fill a position they have open!Here are a few more pointers:   Â

• Post your resume as a PDF. You can add the slide share application (and a multitude of others) and upload your resume as a PDF.  This allows potential employers to actually download your actual resume directly from  your profile.  This is huge.  Anything you can do to make it easier for the people interviewing you or hiring for positions is a step in the right direction.
• Post a picture. Same deal.  Keep it professional, clean, and just you.
• Get recommended. Ask former supervisors, friends, professors, to recommend you.  This simplifies the process for employers – it’s a built-in reference!
• Put the URL to your LinkedIn profile on your resume or contact card. This is a great way to make more connections and get the word out that you’re looking for a job.

Network… In person.
Use social media (all of the above) to find networking events.  Go to these events. You’ll meet other industry professionals, other job seekers, and employers.  Get the word out.  Get to know people.  Social media would only be “media” without [social] human interaction; so make the most of your online connections and get out there and meet these people.  Then, do me a favor and shoot me an email letting me know what job you landed!Â

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Good Luck!