Whether you went to work straight out of high school or have just graduated college, you know that it is not easy finding a job; especially in this economy. Everyone is trying to run a lean machine meaning there are not a lot of openings for employment.
However, there are ways that you can use to find a job, and one of them is using your social media accounts. Instead of “wasting” all that time on Facebook, Twitter, Vine, Instagram and wherever else you are, you can spend time on these platforms using your networks to get you that elusive job. After all, they do say that your net worth is determined by your network, so why not make use of those connections?
There are many ways to go about this but we’ll just look at how to get you started, okay?
1. Manage your profiles
Most people use social media as an outlet for all their craziness. It seems like harmless fun but that can reflect badly on you since some employers actually check out your social media accounts as part of the short-listing process.
What you need to do is go over all your social media profiles and see if they are reflecting what a potential employer would like to see. Make sure that you are not being pretentious but just be careful about what you share on there and what you keep to yourself. You may want to adjust the settings on your accounts to keep the “fun” photos or posts between you are your friends and maintain a professional look to the rest of the world.
2. Tell everybody
It may be embarrassing to some but there is not shame is stating that you are looking for a job; you never know what might turn up for you. Indicate that you are currently looking for a job on your social media profiles and your online connections may be able to point you in the right direction. After all, how else would they know that you needed the help? Just make sure it isn’t all that you are talking about.
3. Follow potential employers
This is not as creepy as it sounds… Like their social media pages and find out what they are about as well as the kind of person they are looking for. Plus, you would be able to know if they have any job openings sooner than other people.
4. Join groups
You know how in LinkedIn you can join groups based on your training and career interests? Well, that can be a great place to build networks with people working in your preferred companies. You will get insight into the company culture and maybe even land a recommendation from one of them. Make sure they know you are looking for a job but only after you have established some kind of a relationship; they may not find the connection genuine otherwise.
Do you have any advice on how to use social media to get a job? Let us know below.
Photo: Alan Reeves / Flickr
Yuen Li is a career advisor and financial advisor. She’s guided many students through the process of debt settlement and finding their dream jobs and we’re glad to host her on our site today: http://nationaldebtrelief.com
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