Searching for a Job? How to Make Social Media Work for You

In management studies, students are always told to get in the consumer’s shoes. When you know what your audience wants, it’s much easier to deliver directly to their expectations.

Getting hired is a similar process. When you go out there in the market, you are essentially selling yourself to the recruiter. A typical day of a recruiter involves scanning hundreds of emails and similar looking PDFs and Word documents. Repeat that every day for the rest of the week and the month, and the task obviously gets monotonous.

Your first challenge is to get the undivided attention of the recruiter (that does not mean you need to stalk the recruiter or ask her out for a date!). Social media could be the difference between becoming just another email in the inbox and shaking them up.

How do you go about it? Read on.

 

1) Be Socially Alive

That’s the first step. Make profiles on Twitter and LinkedIn. Studies show that nearly 80% of hiring is done through networking. Just like you, hiring managers are busy surfing their social networks and it is easier to get their attention there than a resume database. Find who the key recruiters or decision makers are in your industry. Follow them on these networks.

 

2) Be Socially Alive & Kicking

Now that you are present on platforms, make your presence felt.

• Keep posting about latest innovations and discoveries about your industry or niche.
• Contribute to industry chats and showcase your knowledge and awareness about the issues of the industry.
• Blog your voice on the controversies or shortcomings of the industry, along with possible solutions and ideas from you.

 

3) Get an e-resume

If profiles offer a glimpse into the kind of person you are, an e-resume should give out more details about your active academic interests and skillsets. Start a blog or book a domain in your name. This page should represent your personal brand and let people see your portfolio of past work. You could use it to publish at regular intervals and share the piece on your social profiles or relevant topical chats on Twitter, Yahoo or Facebook groups.

 

4) Follow Social etiquette

Besides showcasing yourself as a thought leader, exhibit knowledge about the social platforms you are present on. Understand the nuances of each medium. For example, it is generally considered inappropriate to befriend an unknown person on Facebook. If you meet a fellow industry peer in a seminar or event, find him/her on LinkedIn and not on Facebook.

Similarly if you are on a LinkedIn group, post straight to the point and add to the ongoing discussion or ask relevant question to seek opinions. But if you are on Twitter, feel free to connect with anyone and jump into any conversation.

 

5) Check your digital footprints

Had a raucous party with your pals over the weekend? Great! Now don’t go all out putting up pictures and tagging everyone and their dog! Typically, recruiters could derive negative impression about respondents if they see any of the following about them on social networks:

• Inappropriate photos
• Inappropriate comments
• Content about alcohol consumption
• Negative views about previous employers
• Poor communication skills
• Discriminatory or racist & hate speech

 

6) Be unique and think out of the box

This is what could really separate the men from the boys. While being active on social platforms gives an edge, it is just a step in the right direction. Can you plan a personal branding initiative which would interest your potential hirers?

We all could take inspiration from what Mike Freeman did. This man took a commendable step by making the most appreciated resume that Shopify had ever seen. In the words of Mark Hayes, marketing and media manager at Shopify, an e-commerce platform and Mike’s most coveted employer, “He built an online store using Shopify where you can read about his background, experience, etc. You can also ‘buy’ an interview with him for ‘$0.00.'” Mark Hayes said, “We get an infinite amount of resumes here. Yes, he got the job.””

So go all out with it. There might be a pleasant surprise like a Like, tweet or a follow waiting for you!

 

About the guest post author:

Aditya Singhal is the co-founder of transtutors.com, which is a leading online tutoring retarget for college students. Adi and his team are currently creating a courseware platform for MBA students. They are also launching later this year an eBay style marketplace for assignments. Adi gives back to society by contributing a portion of the company’s revenue toward the education of poor students in India.

 

Image: iStockPhoto