Wednesday, 17 April 2013

Improve Your Job Prospects Using Social Media


The world has become a smaller place and it is now easy to get back in touch with old friends thanks to Social Media. It has helped many people build professional connections as well as being a great marketing tool and platform which many companies use today.
However, as much of a benefit Social Media can be, it can also be very harmful when it comes to getting a job. The following tips can help you when it comes to getting your perfect job.

Clean up your profile - Make sure you have a clean profile, if you’re guilty of some questionable behaviour online you can either edit your privacy settings so that nobody other than friends can see your profile or you can tidy up anything that may be deemed inappropriate.
Avoid Negativity – Your online profile gives an overview of what you’re really like and constant complaining could damage your chances of getting a job.

Become a fan/follow relevant companies – Find pages relevant to your desired line of work and become a fan or follow them. If you looking for a role in the FMCG industry then follow FMCG companies and become a fan on their page. You can start some basic networking by chatting with others within the industry.
Use relevant hashtags on Twitter – Such as #jobs, #jobhunt or #jobsearch which offer both job openings and general job search advice. If you’re looking for high-level information about how to conduct a job search, this could be a great place to start.

Status Updates – Post status updates which show that you are looking for a new job. You may get friends help you by pointing towards certain vacancies or putting in a few good words around their work place.
Find Referrals into your target companies - Getting a referral from an employee provides a 20x better chance of getting the job. Use LinkedIn to find out who in your Facebook network has ever worked for the company you're targeting. Use them to help you get beyond the threshold of the front door, or perhaps even get you in the side door.

Profile Picture – Make sure your profile picture shows you in a positive light, if you have any pictures of yourself in smart attire, pick one for your profile picture. Remember your profile picture is still visible to non-friends so don’t give recruiters a chance to dismiss you before getting any further.
If used correctly, Social Media can be the perfect tool for those who want to network, connect and search for jobs, it is about using it in a positive manner so don’t fall into silly traps that could rule you out of a potential new job from the get go.

 
Written by Liam Oakes

Liam is the Candidate Manager at Aaron Wallis and has been with the company for 2 years after having a career with the RAF; Liam has helped hundreds of Sales Professionals secure a new Sales role and ensures that Aaron Wallis runs smoothly.





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