For all its faults and bad press social media can play an essential role within the recruitment lifecycle. While most individuals use it for communication and entertainment, businesses (and most notably employers) use social media as an information platform, with mainstream uses including customer service, marketing promotion and also recruitment.
From an employer's perspective social media allows direct access to your skills, experience, and character, giving them unique insight into what potentially could be there next employee. In fact, an article on the HR World website reported that 84% of organisations use social media for recruitment, while 9% of those who don’t are planning to follow suit.
While these numbers demonstrate social media’s contribution to helping people get hired, let’s look in greater detail at the other ways social media can enhance your job search activity. Social media allows you to:
Keep Updated On Trends And Industry News
One thing social media is used for is information dissemination. General news and updates are shared on platforms like Twitter and Facebook. Moreover, even news sites like the BBC and The Guardian have social media accounts themselves. Take for example The Guardian’s tweet, reporting on possible changes to health workers’ contracts.
Ultimately, this is how job seekers can find their new roles. Social media lets you keep up with current trends and general information about the industry. For instance, you may stumble upon news that says a nearby city is looking to hire people with your expertise. So, make sure to follow news companies, especially those tailored for your specific industry, like Journalism.co.uk for journalists. Following hashtags like #NowHiring or #JobSearch may also aid in your job hunt.
Organising and fine-tuning your social media feeds to reflect workplace insight and career passions will help you stay on your game, alerting you to key opportunities and information at the right time.
Search For Passive Opportunities And Job Openings
People use social media to let others know about their personalities and life events. The same can be applied to job seekers, who can use this to their advantage. Many first-time job searchers turn to LinkedIn to showcase their resumes online, since this is also where recruiters often find viable candidates. A LinkedIn profile will communicate a person’s education, experience, and achievements to recruiters. This can be done on other social media platforms as well, in a more subtle manner.
Meanwhile, on Twitter, the ‘bio’ can display your career, contact information, and website link. Similarly, the photo and video sharing site Instagram can serve as an online portfolio, especially for those in the creative industries. Remember to keep your social media accounts up to date to maximise the chances of landing your next role.
Join Relevant Networking Groups
In our post ‘How to Stay Motivated When Unemployed’, we advised focusing on connections when looking for a job. After all, you may be one interaction away from an interview or referral. Social media is a way for people to connect. Jobseekers can take advantage of this aspect by networking with professionals in the industry. Networking groups are often found on sites such as LinkedIn and Facebook, where like-minded people interact with one another.
Find a networking group by searching industry keywords like ‘graphic design’. Upon joining a group, introduce yourself, comment on posts, and share your own thoughts. This helps you build professional relationships that will not only benefit your job search but also in the long run.
Taking the time to find the right groups is key, don't just blanket join loads of groups, select the top 3 or 4 which are most relevant for you. We all lead busy lives; therefore we don't want to create excess noise, we need our inboxes and social media feeds to remain focused to get the best out of them.
Gain Insight Into Companies (and boost exposure)
Nowadays, over 80% of all companies have their own social media accounts. Keeping on top of their posts is a great way for job seekers to spot immediate job vacancies and other relevant industry information.
To be exact, the World Economic Forum reports that 50% of applicants already look for company information on social media for these reasons. Follow companies you’re interested to work for to gain better insight into them, as they may serve you well during interviews. When asked about the company, stand out by mentioning recent activities they’ve shared on social media.
Did you know: Following a company you like on LinkedIn also increases your chances of working for them!
By hitting that follow button you are classed by LinkedIn as an engaged person, someone who is showing a positive interest in the brand. Should you then go on to apply for jobs within your followed companies LinkedIn will point out to recruiters and employers the candidates who have registered an interest (follows, likes, comments etc.), promoting them over others.
Put simply. Recruiters and employers can see if you've engaged with them!
Whether you are actively looking or not, it will pay off to spend a small amount of time each day to follow your favourite brands and get the wheels turning. You never know when you might need that LinkedIn preferential treatment.
The points above prove that social media is a viable way to find a job. Whether it's keeping your profiles updated, connecting with professionals, reading the news, or staying updated with your ideal organisations, all this activity will go a long way in helping you land your next role.
Thanks for reading, if you want to reach out to me with questions, advice or other job search info look me up on LinkedIn here: https://linkedin.com/in/suziefinch
