Making Social Media Work For Your Job Search

As recruiters, we hear a great deal of candidates (and employers!) talking about the ways in which the recruitment industry has changed in the past few years. And they’re right; it has. The majority of job advertisements are posted, and applied to, online. Social networks like LinkedIn and Twitter have become a hotbed of recruitment activity. Employers have new and more in-depth ways to check out candidates before they even arrive for an interview.

But the thing to remember is that the ethos of the industry is no different than it has always been. The tools may have changed; but recruiters are still looking for the best person to fill each job opportunity that comes up. Successful job hunting has always been about making contacts and communication – it’s just that nowadays this communication often takes place online instead of offline.

We’re always keen to offer advice to help candidates with a successful job search. Here are our tips for making social media work for you.

One - Always show your best side

Yes, social media is about having fun. But it’s also about portraying yourself online for all the world to see. Think twice about what you are posting – and if it’s not something that you want the whole world (and potential new employers) to see, don’t post it. Showing your best side definitely doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t show your personality. It just means that you should be careful about which sides of your personality are appropriate to share online, and which are best saved for a night out with your friends.

Two – Keep things up to date

If you want your online profiles on sites like LinkedIn and Twitter to work for you – make sure that you’re keeping them up to date. Invest time in making sure that you’re updating them regularly as well as ensuring that all details such as location, CVs and contact details are correct.

Three – Talk to people

When it comes to social media, you can’t just put a profile up and expect employers to rush to you. You need to be productive and start conversations. On LinkedIn, find a group that is popular with members of your industry and get involved in discussions. On Twitter, follow other people who work in your industry and chat to them. Communicating with people in this way on social media is non-threatening and a great way to build contacts. And who knows? They might know of an opportunity that is perfect for you.

Four – Pay attention to detail

Small issues like spelling and grammar are well worth paying attention to online. Just like in face-to-face meetings – first impressions are vital online. Making a spelling mistake in your profile can be the equivalent of making a social faux-pas when you first meet someone... so make sure you check, check and check again!

Five – Google yourself

When you’re job hunting, Googling yourself can be a very valuable exercise. See what comes up when you search for yourself, and try to look at the results like a potential employer would. Also important is to see what is available on your Facebook profile for people who are not friends with you to see. Log out and then search for yourself – you may be unpleasantly surprised about what is visible. Often, photos posted before Facebook’s security settings changed are available to everyone by default. Make sure you don’t get caught out!

Do you have advice to candidates who want to make social media work for them? Why not join our forum conversation?