How to Use Social Media to Find a Job

How to Use Social Media to Find Your Next Job
Social media is not going away anytime soon. Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube, and more seem to be everywhere. And that's because they are! And with social media like these, we get constant updates about the relevant and not-so-relevant aspects of everyone's lives. there's no getting away from it. Not without a concerted effort. Social media gives you great tools for sharing information electronically with a potentially very large audience
In this article, we'll consider a practical and positive application of social media: finding your next job.
Find a Job with Social Media
Try the following strategies to help you in your job search:-
- Focus your attention on people instead of companies.
eg. if you're interested in working for a specific company or particular industry, look at blogs and on Facebook for the people who work there. Do they know people you know? May be you share a connection or two. Could you submit your CV to them; ask for advice; and/or get more contacts?
Be subtle though. People are unlikely to be happy about being bombarded with job requests on their own time. Start out with a few unobtrusive messages, and you should be able to make inroads toward your goal. - Start your own blog.
Create your own content that showcase your own knowledge, experience, and expertise. Get people to see you as an expert, visionary, or thought leader. Blogs are easy to start and in some cases even free, so other than your time, it will cost you nothing but could gain you everything. - Use Twitter
It's becoming common to hear stories of people getting made redundant, sending out a few tweets about their jobless predicament, and ultimately finding a new position as a result.
With Twitter word can spread VERY quickly, especially if you ASK your followers and connections to share your status and recommend any openings. Companies, Recruitment Services and HR consultants are also beginning to use Twitter to announce job vacancies.
So it makes sense to join Twitter; complete your profile using keywords and a professional looking headshot; follow everyone you know, and also anyone who seems they might be helpful; then tweet away. Don't forget to share any content you create on your blog etc!! - Take advantage of video
In addition to more usual social media tools, video is becoming increasingly relevant and more popular than ever. Upload a video resume to YouTube and let the world know what you can do and what you're looking for.
Tip. When creating a video, keep it short - explain your background; describe what you're looking for and why you're a great fit for the job. Take your time to get it right - you can re-record as many times as you need to.
Never before has the average person had so much capability to reach so many people. Craft your message and get it out there every way you can think of.
Social media is here to stay, so you might as well use it for something constructive. Finding employment is never enjoyable, but utilizing social media can really make a difference.
If you need help or further signposting, let's chat!