Introduction
If you believe that social media is simply for sharing photos of your dog and liking your friend’s selfies, then you’re definitely missing out on utilising a great tool that will help you in your job search. So, whether you're looking to get yourself an entry-level job after graduating, thinking of a change in careers or even if you're simply relocating and need a new job; these 9 smart tips for using social media will help you to stand out above the other applicants.
The Do’s
1 – Do Complete Your Profile
There's nothing worse than an employer or recruiter going to check your LinkedIn profile to find out more information about you only to be met with a half complete profile, so ensure that it's filled out with as much information as you can provide. Although no one's expecting you to be able to complete every section on the page, it helps to fill out as much relevant information that anyone looking to hire you would want to know. However, we understand that this can be a very time-consuming process, so ensure that you set yourself enough time to complete your profile when you create an account, so you're not in a hurry.
2 – Do Think About What You’re Posting on Social Media
When it comes to looking professional on social media, there are simply just some topics which you should steer clear of posting on your professional social media network. Generally, the items you should avoid talking about are:
- Politics
- Religion
- Offensive content
- NSFW content
Although ultimately, what you decide to post on your social media is your call; however, it's best to keep the previously mentioned topics on your personal social accounts behind strict privacy settings if you’re going to post them at all. This is because generally, issues such as these can offend or rub people up the wrong way, and most employers want to avoid employing anyone who could potentially cause controversy.
3 – Do Remain Consistent in What You’re Looking For
From a recruiter or potential employer’s perspective, there’s nothing worse than an applicant that isn’t consistent in the image that they project and the industry that they want to work in. For instance, if you’re applying for a job in retail and your CV reflects that except your social media profiles say that you’ve always wanted a career within the catering industry, it just doesn’t add up. Instead, ensure that you’re entirely focused on the industry you want to work in and if you’re not entirely sure, then ensure that you stay away from making such a statement which could come back to haunt you in the future.
4 – Do Research Businesses and Industries You’d Like to Work in
Throughout your career, when it comes to job hunting you’ll find that you come across a lot of businesses and industries that you’d be really interested in working in and social media can help you to get a better understanding of how to get your foot in the door by joining groups and following businesses on social media. By following these businesses and industries, you'll get a better insight into the company culture and the applicants who would be a good fit for advertised roles.
5 – Do Engage in Important Online Conversations and Discussions
Chances are that on websites such as LinkedIn and Twitter, they'll usually be a conversation or discussion regarding a work-related topic if you follow the right people in your industry. If you'd like to get yourself noticed by recruiters and influencers, then get involved in these discussions and put your thoughts and ideas forward. After all, what's the point in using social and professional networks if you're not going to interact with anyone?
The Don’ts
1 – Don’t Have a Split Personality
While it’s pretty normal to have different social accounts that you may use for professional and private use, it's vital that if employers are likely to find both accounts, you don't look like you have a split personality or an evil twin. Instead, ensure that you don't use any condemning photos of yourself as your profile image or cover photo and ensure that your privacy settings are securely set, but we'll talk about that in greater detail later.
2 – Don’t Have Typos and Mistakes on Your Profile
There’s nothing worse than seeing a spelling or grammatical error in any type of written copy on a website, let alone on your LinkedIn which is supposed to be showcasing your skills and abilities to potential employers. Instead, ensure that you thoroughly check your spelling and grammar before you go ahead and post anything. And don’t worry if spelling and grammar aren’t your strong points, there are plenty of spell checkers and browser add-ons which can do it for you such as Grammarly or merely writing in Word first before you go ahead and publish anything.
3 – Don’t Make Complaints About Your Current Job
Whether you’re happy in your current position or whether you’re not and that’s the reason why you’re currently looking for another job, you should avoid venting your frustrations or sharing information about your job online. As not only can this be a massive breach of your employment contract if you share company insights but it could get you fired. As well as this, no potential employer wants to employ someone who vents frustrations and company information online, so it’s best to avoid talking about your current job.
4 – Don’t Forget About Privacy Settings
While there's nothing wrong with those pictures of you and your friends on a night out, they might not be the best thing for a potential employer to see if you're trying to make a good impression of yourself. That's why you must ensure you set your privacy settings to ensure that anyone outside of your friends or followers can't see anything that you don't want them to see, so take some time to ensure that your privacy settings are all set before you start your job hunt.
In Conclusion
Your social media profiles can make an important first impression on potential employers and recruiters, so you need to ensure that the impact you make is a positive one. If you follow our 9 dos and don'ts for using social media when job hunting, you'll ensure that you present the best impression of yourself and ensure that any tagged photos are kept unwraps. Happy job hunting!
by Charlotte Ross, SEO Specialist for the Digital Marketing and SEO Agency Dojono.com