How to Leverage Your Social Platforms on the Job Hunt
Social media is all around us, with nearly 3.48 billion people using social platforms to share activities from their daily lives.
But social media can be used for much more than sharing funny videos and photos of what you ate last night. It can be a beneficial tool to help you during your job search.
As you complete your career training and begin to pursue that next step, platforms like Facebook and LinkedIn can be valuable resources to help you track job listings and follow news trends for specific careers.
Learn how you can use your social platforms to leverage your job search.
Benefits for Using Social Media
Using social media in your job search can help break down communication barriers between recruiters and job seekers. You may have the opportunity to directly speak with representatives from prospective employers before sending in your resume or setting up interviews.
Social media communications with companies you are interested in working for can provide you with greater insights about those organizations and better prepare you for future interactions.
Your social media page can also serve as a resume and preview into who you are. Today, many social media companies allow you to directly apply for available positions in their platforms, and employers are taking full advantage of these new tools to reach broader audiences. This eliminates going through multiple steps and forms to apply for a job opening.
Before applying for jobs, make sure your social media profile pages highlight your professional and soft skills, while presenting you in the absolute best light. This includes having an up-to-date professional profile image, removing any negative comments or images, and using the platform to stay current and engaged on industry news and trends.
Use LinkedIn to Your Advantage
With more than 50% of the United States using it, LinkedIn has developed the reputation as THE professional network for employers and job seekers. LinkedIn provides your connections with a description about you and your work experiences. Think of LinkedIn as your digital resume and cover letter. You will want to keep your information current and relevant to the career options you are pursuing.
In addition to personal page updates, make sure you are using LinkedIn’s advanced search tools to filter keywords, company names and roles. This search feature will help narrow down your search for companies in specific industries and may open doors to job opportunities you did not know existed.
If you find a company that you are interested in, make sure you follow their page to stay up to date on their latest news, including available positions they post. Staying current on company news can give you an advantage when you have the opportunity to interact with hiring managers.
When you are actively searching for a job, you can let others know you are available. One way to entice hiring managers is to update your profile headline to reference that you are open to new opportunities, like “Recent Practical Nurse graduate actively looking for a rewarding health care career.”
Ask other co-workers, classmates or instructors to endorse you on LinkedIn. Endorsements on LinkedIn are similar to a reference and allow prospective employers to see how others view your skills and their experiences working with you. Asking your connections for an endorsement is easy through the platform.
Facebook Isn’t Just for Sharing Photos
With more than 2.3 billion members and features like Facebook Groups and Job Postings, which allow job seekers to find job listings in specific fields and geographic areas, Facebook can serve as a key resource during your online job hunt.
Using Facebook Groups to search for opportunities in your desired field is a lot like searching for Facebook friends. You can join general groups like Job Opportunities & Careers in the USA or more specific groups, such as Medical Assistant Jobs, that better fit your career goals.
In these groups, you will be able to see job postings from employers and communicate with other job seekers. Being part of these groups will not only help your job search, it can lead to greater professional networking growth and possible connections that can support your career goals.
How We Can Help
At Professional Skills Institute, we know that job hunting can be stressful. Our Career Services department is dedicated to helping to prepare you to enter the workforce successfully upon graduation.
Our Career Services team takes great pride in helping you achieve your goals by providing training in both professional development and job search skills.
As a student enrolled in one of our career-training programs, your instruction will cover the following:
- Job Search Methods/Current Trends in the Job Market
- Using the Internet for your Job Search/Job Search Engines (Indeed, LinkedIn, etc.)
- Resume Writing Workshops
- Successful Interviewing Techniques/Appropriate Dress for Interviews
- Mock Interviews with Employers/Professionals
- Personal Development (Presenting a Professional Image)
- Evaluating Employment Offers
Interested in learning more about how to use your social platforms to find potential jobs? Our dedicated Career Services department is available to speak with current students and alumni to help you in your job search. Contact us today for more information.
