Have you ever use social media sites on your job search? Believe it or not most hiring managers are now investigating job applicants through these sites. They look to your personal pages on Facebook, Twitter and even MySpace. Honestly, most employers today believe that they can make sound decisions by viewing on how an applicant builds his or her online brand.
The impact of social networking sites on a job search is becoming more evident. As such, more people build their social media profiles solely for increasing their career opportunities. Sites such as LinkedIn however are purely for career related information whereas Facebook and Twitter can be exploited for both personal and professional use.
Unfortunately, as of now, only few people have been taking advantages of social media such as Facebook in their job hunt. However, this is quite the reason why you should make social media as your job hunt ally. You have more edge if you do so. So, how can you reflect your strengths and not your weaknesses on these sites? And how can you guarantee that the employers viewing your pages would be thrilled to meet you and hire you?
- Know what Your Prospective Employers Want! This is a fundamental step in using social media as your job hunt ally. Let’s view it this way: a customer is craving for an apple. If you want to attract his attention, you should give him an apple rather than an orange. Know what your prospective employers want to see and read. Upload a photo that emits positive vibes. Furthermore, make your online photo albums pleasing to hiring managers.
- Use keywords to Your Advantage. Frankly speaking, you can only increase your rank on searches if you use the right keywords that your potential employers are using to search for applicants. Aside from this, also identify keywords that will help you reflect your strengths and skills. Use them to your full advantage. For instance, project management, strategic planning, budget control, and so on. However, do not forget to set yourself apart from other job candidates.
- Avoid Negative Contents. Typically, social media sites allow users to change their privacy settings. For purely personal pages, change your settings so that your friends are the only ones who can view and read them. However, if you want to make a page public, you should eliminate the negative contents that could damage your job search. Tip: be conservative.
- Simplify Your Pages. Content is more important than your page’s graphic layout, unless you are a visual artist. In some social media sites, layouts can cause visual clutters. Moreover, too heavy layouts can increase uploading time, which is not beneficial on your part. So, remove unnecessary and distracting graphics.
- Update Your Profile as much as You Can. The more updated your profile is, the better. This includes updating your profile photo, and revising your description as much as possible. Make recruiters and your online contacts know that you are available for new opportunities. Evaluate what prospective employers currently are seeking and make the necessary changes.
Landon Long is the founder of InterviewMastermind.com. You can download his FREE “Resume Rebel” Video Course to learn how to write a resume and stand out in a slow economy.
