If you’re like most people in the modern age, you probably have accounts on one or more social media sites. This is the new way to keep up with your friends and family, network, and keep up on current events. While some think that social media is just a waste of time, it does have some good uses.
Social media can actually enhance your job search and help you to find a job that will match your skills and interests well. How can this be? Let’s take a look at some ways in which social media can aid your job search!
Tips to Use Social Media In Job Search
It really comes as no surprise that you hear about individuals being fired from a job because of something they posted on social media. People are watching you. With that said, knowing what to post and how to portray yourself on your accounts will have a positive effect on your job prospects.
- Follow your potential employers.
If you have your eye set on working for certain companies, following them and liking them on different social media outfits will show them that you have taken an interest in them prior to applying to a job. This will also make it easier for them to find out more about you before reaching out to offer an interview.
- Don’t go to social media with your complaints about work.
No matter how unhappy you are with your job or the circumstances in your workplace, keep it off of social media. If a potential employer looks up your profile before interviewing you, this will almost definitely deter the offer. No company wants to be bad-mouthed to the public.
- Keep it clean.
While foul language and inappropriate innuendoes may seem funny, sharing them paints a negative picture of who you are as a person. You want to appear professional, so portray yourself as such in what you post and like on your accounts.
- Join the right social networks
You probably can name at least three different social media sites without batting an eyelash. Keeping up with your accounts takes time and effort, so you probably don’t want to go and join every single social network available. Find two or three that you can use regularly. Being in the market for a job, LinkedIn is one of the best networks for you to have a profile on because it specializes in profession-based networking.
- Engage with potential employers.
As you know, companies love to post information and photos about what is happening and what the company plans to do. Reply to some of these and show them that you pay attention to the company and know something about them. Ask questions and share knowledge when responding to their posts.
- Stay consistent
Most people have had more than one job in the past. When you change your job, make sure that you update all of your social media profiles so that they reflect the same information. You never know, your potential employer may check more than one site and you want to appear up to date and truthful.
Before starting your job search, comb over your social media profiles to make sure that you are portraying yourself the way that you want to be seen to a potential employer. Weed out anything that you feel looks bad and show yourself as someone who is worthy of the job you seek. Most importantly, stay consistent even after securing the job. Once employed, you represent the company, so make them look good!
