Social media has been said to be a concern when it comes to landing a job. However, when used appropriately, it is a huge asset! Using social media in today’s world goes far beyond updating your job role on LinkedIn and deleting inappropriate content. It can be used to develop a personal brand that will get you noticed and open you up to new opportunities.

Connect and Network:

Besides just being able to show off yourself and your skills, social media also enables you to connect and network. Industry professionals, old managers or colleagues, and professors are just some people that you can connect with on social media to help your job search. Reaching out via LinkedIn can be a great way to start new relationships and expose yourself to more people.

Networking is always a step in the right direction. People you connect with on social media will be able to see your work and accomplishments, making you a desirable employee. Once you have numerous connections, the opportunities will be endless!

Educate Yourself:

A big misconception about social media is that only employers use it to learn about candidates. Social media can enable you, as a candidate, to gain insight into a company’s culture! What they share and post on their page is a big reflection of them as a whole. Culture is always an important part of finding the right job fit.

Evaluating a company’s social media pages before interviewing can also be an advantage. If you are knowledgeable about the background of a company and even have some relevant questions prepared for the interviewer, they will know you did your research and are passionate about the role.

Find New Jobs:

Twitter is generally used for news sharing, but taking advantage of the hashtag feature is a great way to uncover jobs. Using industry-specific, professional level, or general job post hashtags will provide you with an array of opportunities you can apply for.

#marketingjobs is a great example of a hashtag someone in the marketing field would use while recent grads can use #entryleveljobs to find the right assortment of jobs. Location hashtags such as #NYCjobad may also be used to find opportunities near you.

Social Tools:

Once you are using social media to make connections and find new job postings, you can use social tools to upgrade your profiles. These tools can help you automate your job search and speed up the process. A scheduling tool will ensure that you post relevant content daily. Besides just scheduling, a tool like Hootsuite also filters out the hashtags that you need for your industry.

SEO analysis is another great tool for social media. This is specifically for LinkedIn but may also apply if you have a personal website or blog. SEO analysis helps you choose the right words, description, and hashtags to get your profile or your work noticed. The word choice analysis makes sure that your work is a top hit in your desired field.

Final Advice:

Professionally using social media is a great way to improve your job search. Making your profiles appropriate and using them to build a brand for yourself will help you network and gain more opportunities. The social tools discussed to make this easy and will even get your profile noticed by more people. Follow these methods and your social media is sure to be top tier!

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