16 May Get social in your job search
Social media is at the forefront of every industry and is in the news constantly. Where else can we share our opinions, likes, commentary and status in real time to such a vast audience? Nowhere.
So if you want to be effective in the digital age, you have to develop an online presence.
Social media makes everyone – your friends on Facebook, connections on LinkedIn – aware that you’re seeking employment via a status update, Twitter feed or just a statement made on your blog that is shared with every digital media membership you have.
Just remember that future employers read these entries and watch what you post, like, support and view. Make sure your profile is set to private (not public), unless you want them knowing all your business!
Use your friendships and business connections to your advantage. The old adage “it’s not what you know, but who you know” is very true. The more people you have in your corner supporting and looking out for you, the more likely you are to succeed.
This is why LinkedIn is such a great resource. It’s essentially Facebook for professionals. Don’t post what you had for breakfast or cute pictures of your kids; rather, focus on trainings you’ve attended, certifications you’ve acquired and general advancement in your career and knowledgebase.
Perhaps the most important thing to know about LinkedIn is that 80 percent of recruiters use it to scour the population for candidates and they only look at people whose profiles are 100-percent complete. This means the profiles include a photo, an uploaded resume and an active profile.
Other features of LinkedIn are that people can recommend you for skills and you can elicit job information from connections and perhaps get a head start on a new career or job opportunity.
Other tips
- Any correspondence you send out, such as resumes, business cards and all electronic documents should have hyperlinks to your resume or e-mail for easy access by employers, recruiters or other interested parties.
- Take advantage of QR or Q-code technology, which allows you to create a specific code that can be scanned by any smart device and provides instant access to your resume, contact information, portfolio or website. You can also add QR codes to the same items listed above to increase your professional exposure and demonstrate your tech-savviness.
- Consider participating in chats, blogs or other discussions around industry topics to demonstrate your expertise and involvement. Yahoo, Ask, Google, Craigslist and other sites allow you to join and participate in discussion groups or to post your own material. This is a great way to share ideas and get feedback to be successful in your job search.
Jeff Adams is a Certified GCDF (Global Career Development Facilitator) who has worked in the human services field for more than 20 years. He currently serves as a career coach at Charlotte Works, and has an extensive background in case management, counseling and professional development. Previously, Adams was the director of Charlotte Saves, an organized financial literacy campaign, and continues to provide workshops on budgeting and credit management. He loves to educate people on all areas of career development and is passionate about helping others recognize their strengths and achieve their dreams. When Adams isn’t working, he can be found either spending time with his wife and two daughters or out riding his motorcycle.
Image Credit: Matt Hamm on Flickr