You probably use social media often in your personal life, but it’s valuable for advancing your professional life as well. The majority of recruiters and hiring managers use social media in some manner to find and evaluate candidates. This means it’s an incredibly useful tool for job seekers, but it must be used correctly.
Here are 10 ways to improve your social media presence and use each platform to get noticed by recruiters and companies alike.
Clean it up: Google yourself and see what comes up. Visit all social media profiles and delete pictures and posts that are not in line with your professional brand. When in doubt, get rid of it.
Use your name: You don’t need a funny Twitter handle or unique Facebook name. Use your real name so that hiring managers can find the right person when they’re looking and you come across as more professional.
Complete LinkedIn: This is the leading platform for professional networking. Make sure your profile is complete, including a professional head shot.
Optimize: Think about what phrases recruiters are using to find candidates and then thoughtfully integrate those into your profile pages and posts. Not sure? Look at other professionals’ profiles and job listings for ideas.
Provide work examples: Tell your story by providing samples of your work to demonstrate your potential. This can be added directly on LinkedIn, or, develop a professional website and link to it on Twitter and other platforms.
Engage: Add your thoughts to conversations and develop blogs and post them online. Show you’re active and want to add value to these social network groups and discussions (it’s not about selling yourself).
Network: Connect with people who will enhance your professional network. Share content of interest to them or note something you have in common if you need an ice breaker.
Customize connections: On LinkedIn especially it’s important to customize a message before requesting to connect. This helps you stand out and make a great first impression.
Never ask for a job: Your profile can state you’re open to opportunities in a certain industry, but you should never straight-out ask a contact to help you get a job as that’s far too self-serving and will backfire.
Follow company job pages: Many companies have social media accounts dedicated to their hiring initiatives. Follow these and be the first to know about new opportunities.
