HOW TO USE SOCIAL MEDIA TO FIND A JOB
APRIL 11, 2018
Social media - who doesn't use it? We rely on it for everything from communicating with friends and family, keeping up to date with current events, sharing ideas, relieving stress with funny videos, and now, even to find a job.
According to data from Staff.com, 92% of companies use social media for recruitment. This means that it is something you need to leverage if you are seriously trying to look for a job.
Here are some things you can do to maximize your job search with the help of social media.
But if you don't have a specific company in mind, you can try visiting the Facebook pages of job portals like Recruitday.com and others. Job portals often share openings from a variety of different companies on their Facebook page as well, so you have a lot of options.
Some of these job portals also use a chatbot to help make the job search easier for you. 90% of job seekers use mobile in their job search, which is why more and more businesses are transitioning towards the use of chatbots that allow users to interact with their business 24/7 and on mobile devices.
The problem is that sometimes it can be difficult to navigate through job applications on a 5 and 1/2-inch screen. Chatbots help makes that easier, by acting as if you were simply chatting with a friend on Messenger.
Recruitday, for example, utilizes a job search chatbot to help you find and apply for a job. All you have to do is send a message, type in a keyword relevant to the job that you are looking for, and it will give you all the open positions available and will guide you through the process of application – all without leaving Facebook Messenger.
Another way to use Facebook for job search is to utilize Facebook Groups. Simply do is search for terms like "jobs" or "hiring" and you will be presented with a long list of groups made specifically to help you find a job.
A lot of the groups are industry-specific, such as groups meant for I.T. professionals, accounting and finance specific jobs, human resource positions, and so on. If you want to deviate from your regular 9-to-5 corporate jobs, there are also groups dedicated to freelancers, people looking for remote or online work, and even jobs available in the startup community.
All these groups have new job listings posted every day. Some post every hour while some even post every few minutes. You won't run out of choices there.
But if you want an extra edge, why not try marketing yourself to these groups. Create a short spiel about who you are, what your skills and experiences are, and what you're looking for. Keep it short, simple, and straight to the point – recruiters don't always have the time to read a very long post. You can always link your LinkedIn profile or your online portfolio/resume in the post.
Here's an example of a post shared by a job seeker on a Facebook group for startups:
She then added a link to her LinkedIn account, together with a link to her online resume and portfolio, and closed with a simple, "I would definitely love the opportunity to help your startup grow and develop alongside the team as well! Thanks!"Something as simple as that resulted in over 20 invitations to apply and to meet for interviews. In a span of two weeks, she had two job interviews every single day and 40 days after posting on the group, she started her first day in a new job.
This strategy works because most of the time, these Facebook groups are filled with recruiters but not as many job seekers. So when you take the initiative and introduce yourself to all these recruiters who are already members of the group, you stand out right away.
According to life coach and business expert, Heather Monahan, "Twitter can be used to identify leaders in an organization that you are interested in joining." Interacting with key people will help you not only obtain an understanding of the company but will help you stand out. Just don't overdo the re-tweeting and likes!
Quick Tips and Best Practices:
Before you start job hunting, here are some quick tips and best practices that can help ensure you make a good (and lasting) first impression to recruiters on social media.- Go over all your profiles carefully and make sure they are consistent. If it says on your LinkedIn that you graduated with a Computer Science degree, it should say the same thing on your Facebook profile.
- Make sure your Facebook profile is on private - or at least filter your posts. That picture of you on graduation day? That's alright to be public. That picture of you in the bar with bottles of liquor on both hands? Probably best to keep that amongst your friends.
- Don't stop at photos. Go over your status updates and the things you share. Remember, recruiters can judge your character based on your social profiles - so be careful with what you share.
- Keep it professional. Just because Facebook is a "casual" platform, doesn't mean you can message a recruiter with a, "Hey man, wassup?" It also doesn't mean you message them at 11 in the evening. Chatbots, yes. Real people, no.
- Always try to find out the name of your recruiter or the hiring manager so you can address your application appropriately. If all else fails and you can't find the name you need, go for a generic greeting, like "Dear Hiring Manager" or "To Whom It May Concern".
Today, almost all your information is available online, so be sure to go through your profiles carefully and apply social media best practices for finding a job. As with everything worth pursuing, your job search will take time and effort. But with the smart use of social media, you at least have more options and opportunities.
APRIL 11, 2018