How to Easily Incorporate Social Media into Your Job Search

How to Easily Incorporate Social Media into Your Job Search How to Easily Incorporate Social Media into Your Job Search You’re probably on social media already, even if you’re just using it for personal interactions. Perhaps Facebookmaybe Instagramcould be Twitter. Whatever you’re already using personally, it’s vital to incorporate social media professionally as well. was recently asked to weigh in on using social media to job search for the article, Social Media Success: A Guide for Job Seekers. We discussed why social media is important for professionals- especially those who are actively job searching, and how you can easily incorporate social media into your job search. Here’s how to easily incorporate social media into your job search: Why is it important for job seekers to utilize social media? When a recruiter searches an applicants name on the Internet to learn more about them, its actually a red flag nowadays if someone isnt found to be active online. LinkedIn is the bare minimum a job seeker should be using to help show employers that theyre technologically savvy and understand the basics of digital communication. Why is it important to make sure all your info is up to date on LinkedIn? If youve applied for a job, hiring managers may look to your LinkedIn profile to learn more about you. If it doesnt match your resume with your most up-to-date jobs, projects, and skills, they may be confused. It also may send the message that youre not taking enough care with your job search or professional image. Additionally, even if youre not actively applying for jobs, hiring managers use LinkedIn to find applicants- sometimes before they even post an available opening. If youre interested in new opportunities, even in the least, keep your LinkedIn profile up to date so youll be findable when a recruiter starts searching. How can you use social media to help you get a job? You don’t need to use all of your social media accounts for job searching. Most people pick one or two for personal use and one or two for professional use. For example, I’m personally active on Facebook, but I use Twitter and LinkedIn exclusively for professional interactions. One more general tip- if a picture is worth a thousand words, then the profile picture you choose for your social media accounts is quite valuable in your job search. Keep that picture updated and professional, and use a similar picture or the same picture across all your social accounts, so you always make a great first impression. Here are some tips for choosing a great LinkedIn profile picture. How should you use Twitter to get ahead in the job search? Here are three quick ideas: Complete your Twitter profile and start following people in your industry- thought leaders, people who work for companies you like, recruiters or career coaches, etc. Tweet and share information about your field or industry to demonstrate your knowledge and expertise areas. Engage in related Twitter chats- theyre usually held by industry organizations or industry experts, and they can introduce you to great information and new people. To find Twitter chats in your field, ask your followers if they know of any good ones. Or use a database like TweetReports, which lists Twitter chats by topic, hashtag, description, and day of the week. Follow your favorite job boards. For example, is very active on Twitter and following us is a great way for people to learn about the latest remote and flexible job listings, companies hiring, and specific job search advice. How should you use Facebook to get ahead in the job search? Its okay to decide youd rather keep at least one social media profile strictly private, and most often people choose Facebook. To make sure it doesnt wind up in front of curious recruiters, set your privacy settings very high and monitor your activity so youre not tagged in photos or posts that arent appropriate. How can you use LinkedIn to get ahead in your job search? LinkedIn is the ultimate social media job search tool. Use it to research your connections with companies you want to work for stay in touch with your network by sending the occasional thoughtful message write industry and field-related blog posts on LinkedIn Publishing and even use their partnership with the online course company LinkedIn Learning to upgrade your skills and knowledge, or to help your job search, like the course, Finding a Remote Job. Browse Open Flexible Jobs