Finding a job in today’s market might seem like a challenge, but there are ways to boost your chances of landing your ideal career.
Image credit: marin | FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Whether you spend a lot of time online or you could use a refresher course on social media etiquette, here are five ways to improve your job prospects using social media:
Follow prospective employers
Begin your job search by seeking out employers you’ve either already applied with or intend to pursue. Monitor their profiles to get a better sense of their core values and what they do.
During interviews and subsequent follow-up, you may be asked why you want to work for the company. Following their social media pages provides you with quality information to help you answer this key question.
Polish your profile
Since many companies use software to track applicants, you’ll want to present a positive image to potential employers. Remove or protect embarrassing photos, silly conversations and other unprofessional content from your pages.
You don’t have to hide your entire personality, but you do need to clean up your social media sites to make them more attractive to hiring managers.
Optimize your keywords
Just like a webpage, your social media site contains keywords that many companies use to hone in on prospective employees. Regardless of the type of social media page you have, if you’re looking for a job, then you need to build a profile that garners the right interest.
Look up popular terms for the industry you’re seeking and create a well-organized page that reflects your interests.
Make better connections
The wonderful thing about social media is that it fosters connections between people you might never actually meet. Do your friends have friends who work in the industry you’re interested in? Use those resources to get your foot in the door.
Seek out connections where you can find them, and use social media’s networking capabilities to your advantage. You may be surprised by how helpful that message to a friend-of-a-friend can be.
Perfect the follow-up
In the days of digital media, you may be tempted to send a quick message through Facebook or LinkedIn thanking a potential employer for an interview. However, many companies still hold to traditional follow-up measures.
Use a company’s social media page for information rather than personal communication. Rather than risk your status by sending an ill-timed Facebook message, send a polite and professional follow-up email along with a phone call.
About the Author:
Annette Hazard is a freelance writer that suggests using software to track applicants efficiently. Annette is a small business owner and can often be found writing about business and finance.
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