How to use social media for your job search

As a job seeker, social media is an amazing tool to assist you in your job search - if used correctly. There are many smart ways to use social media to find your dream job, from networking to researching potential employers.

How to Create Social Media for Your Job Search

Creating a LinkedIn profile, filling it in, and never touching it again is not good enough. So you have got to remain active on social media, as well. And though active can mean sharing amusing posts, you have to ensure that you are presenting a positive and professional image through the content you share. Here's how:

Clean Up Your Existing Accounts

Sure, social media is light-hearted, but it is also essential to portray yourself in the most positive and professional light possible. Use your social media profiles to paint a clear image that will showcase you as a likeable, knowledgable, and hireable asset. Review your social media accounts with a fine-toothed comb to ensure the content you post is employer-appropriate. For example, delete or hide posts or photos that are morally or ethically questionable. Alternatively, create a secondary account to represent your professional interests. These profiles should have professional pictures of you, and your posts should only be about your career or other information related to your industry.

Grow Your Knowledge

You can also use your social media accounts to expand your industry knowledge. While you'll undoubtedly learn something new from any social media channel, some, like Twitter, can be a valuable source of up-to-the-minute news and knowledge for any industry. First, rummage for terms that relate to you (your industry, job titles, etc.) and see what comes up. Then, follow those who regularly discuss topics related to your profession.

LinkedIn

Most people recognise that having a LinkedIn profile is a vital part of job searching, but are you using LinkedIn's tools to its full potential? Don't miss the opportunity to "tag" people in your status update if you're sharing information they posted initially. You can also tag companies in your posts.

Facebook

Since most people choose to consider Facebook a "personal" network, it's a challenge to deviate from the fact that many people use it to search out professional candidates. The solution? Create public status updates. First, test your privacy settings. Once there, select the icon that says "Followers". Then, under Follower Settings, click on the box that reads, "turn on follow." This may provide you with a choice to create public updates and for people to "follow" your public updates.

Once you set this up, every time you post on Facebook, you'll have the choice to allow the post to be "public."

Twitter

Like LinkedIn and Facebook, Twitter offers an excellent resource to demonstrate your expertise. Once you use it to post updates and connect with others online using their Twitter handles in your posts, you will be well on your way to expanding your network and ensuring people understand your expertise. In addition, you will be able to learn what's new in your field by following Twitter handles and hashtags from relevant industries.

Instagram

You can use Instagram as a part of your job search, too. Start by creating a knowledgeable profile, then post-professional things to that. For example, create a story about a few big wins you had in your career or post pictures of your completed project.

Search popular hashtags to attach with companies and jobs. Try:

#remotework

#jobs

#jobsearch