Social media platforms are used to keep in touch with friends and family, connect with like-minded people and share information. Over the past year, different social media sites are also gaining popularity as job-search tools.
Employers respond to this trend and start using sites like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to find new talent. According to the statistics, over 70% of jobs are filled through networking and are never advertised.
If you have never used social platforms to apply for jobs or inform others that you are available for hire, it’s high time you used all the advantages that social media has to offer.
In today’s article, we will list the best social media platforms for your job-search. We will also explain how to make your profile appealing to recruiters and what job-search strategies you can use.
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4 top social media platforms for effective job search
LinkedIn is the largest professional social network in the world. With over 800 million active users and 55 million companies listed, it is the perfect place to look for a new job or follow your dream companies. LinkedIn also has an effective system of connections for business networking.
You can set up a free account and create a detailed online resume, including your contact details, picture, work history and projects. Your profile can be found with multiple search engines, including Gmail and Yahoo.
On LinkedIn, you can connect with people you know professionally and expand your network further. You can also subscribe to people and companies you are interested in. The Jobs feature allows you to search for openings according to your criteria, moreover, you can set “open to work” status and let the employers find you.
Paid LinkedIn subscription gives you more options, including the possibility to send messages to more people, advanced job application tools and LinkedIn trainings. Since recruiters name this social platform as the #1 source for new talent, creating a profile is a must.
With over one billion active users globally, Facebook is one of the largest social platforms in the world. It is mostly used as a personal social media where people connect with friends, family and meet with others who have similar interests. However, it is increasingly used as a tool for job search over the past years.
On Facebook, you can fill out the information about your education, employment and past jobs. It is important to clean up your profile pictures and posts before you start reaching out to employers to avoid making an unprofessional image.
Facebook has a special Jobs feature where you can apply to open vacancies directly. Moreover, you can search for openings using hashtags, contact the hiring managers directly and describe your experience in detail in a job search post.
According to the statistics, only 29% of job-seekers use Instagram. However, many job-seekers can benefit from it by presenting their work visually. On Instagram, you can share pictures from professional events, case studies, examples of your work, and reels related to your field of activity.
Although it does not have a job application feature, you can follow pages of companies, learn more about their culture and learn about the openings once they are available.
Moreover, Instagram is helpful for building your personal brand, showcasing your values, personality and experience to recruiters. You can search for jobs using hashtags, browse pages of companies or share the company’s content to get noticed.
YouTube
Not many people think of YouTube as of a job search tool. Yet, it offers you a variety of creative ways to get noticed. Moreover, few job-seekers promote themselves on YouTube, which means you will be one step ahead of the competition.
There are many ways to get noticed and build your professional brand on YouTube. Firstly, you can share videos of yourself speaking at the conferences or other professional events. Secondly, you can make an engaging video resume that will present your skillset and achievements in figures and pictures. And finally, you may share examples of work, case studies, or record videos that demonstrate your expertise.
How to use social media for job search effectively?
Clean up your profile
Evaluate your profile picture, sections and the content you share. Can they make the right impression on your prospective employer? If you look for jobs via LinkedIn, make sure that all profile sections are complete so that your profile is shown higher in search.
In case with other social media, adjust your privacy settings. Hide or delete personal pictures, controversial content or comments that can be misunderstood. Focus on posting job-related news and events, such as training, conferences, helpful tips, and more.
Create a job search post
If you want to get hired ASAP, consider writing a job search post. Tell about yourself and write what kind of position you are looking for. Avoid using generic statements like “team player” or “good leadership skills”. Instead, tell about the results of your work and achievements. You may want to attach your picture and a resume so that the recruiter could review it at once.
Yet, if you are currently employed, sharing such a post can be risky. If your employer sees it, your current job can be jeopardized. So, only write it if unemployed or if your resignation is sure.
Follow your target companies and join industry communities
The best feature that all social media offer is networking opportunities, so use them to their fullest. Follow your target companies to be the first to know they are hiring. Subscribe to industry groups and professional communities. If the group offers such an option, let others know that you are looking for a job and describe your skills.
If you are using LinkedIn, keep expanding your network. Ideally, you should have 500+ connections. The more people know about you, the higher your chance to land a new job.
Consider contacting a recruiter
If you know the name of the hiring manager in your target company, consider reaching out to them on social media. This is risky, yet if it happens that the company is now hiring, it can bring good results. Write them a message saying that you are interested in working for them, attach your resume, portfolio and other helpful details.
Stay active
It’s not enough to clean up your profile, fill out the sections and call it a day. Keep the profile active, sharing helpful information and commenting on others’ posts. Staying engaged is the essential element of your personal brand.