Social media has a great hold in today’s world. Research says that 92% of companies are using social media for hiring and three out of four hiring managers will check out a candidate’s social profile. So, how to make use of social media to make the job search easier?
- Clean up the mess: This is the most important one. Make sure that any public information on your public profiles is clean and tidy. This includes cleaning of all those weird party pictures and also removing posts that are offensive and discordant.
- Do not try your hands on everything: It is not necessary to have an account on every social media platform. It’s much better to have a well-crafted, up-to-date account on one or two platforms than to have a bunch of accounts that haven’t been touched in years. You must have an account on LinkedIn, twitter and Facebook. Apart from this, consider what your industry demands.
- Your name: It may be fancy to have nicknames but it is advised to use your real names when making your social media profiles. This way it is much easier for the employers to track you.
- Profile picture: Remember to keep your profile picture as professional as possible. Many people use a picture that is blurred, casual, a group photo, distant picture where the face is not visible or do not use a picture at all. According to LinkedIn statistics, your profile is 14 times more likely to be viewed with a photo than without one. A high quality professional photo will have a good impression on the employer. While getting clicked for your profile picture, wear something that you would wear on an important day at work or in a job interview. Your location can be your workstation, conference room or even near a window with a good view.
- Personal branding: “Personal branding” refers to a set of options for marketing your name, personality, expertise, style. Personal branding is an ongoing processof marketing yourself to others in rich, interactive ways. Personal branding has a lot to do with others’ needs, and how your specific skills, values, personality, and experience fit those needs. You want people to know who you are, what you do, and where you’re going.
- Updating on a regular basis: Status updates are an effective way to increase your visibility. You can post articles, pictures that you think can benefit people in your network. Share details about events you would be attending and keep people updating about your career perspective every now and then. You never know a small post of yours can bring you an opportunity that you were waiting for.
Want to know more? Check out the video below:
