Did you notice that Facebook has begun rolling out its job board? If you’re looking for ways to use this new feature, you have to enhance your profile so that you will be more likely to get replies.
It’s against Facebook terms to set up a separate profile just for job searching, which means that you will have to maximise your existing profile. Even if you’re not planning on using the job search tool, many recruiters will find you through your social media platforms anyway — including Facebook. So why not take a few moments to optimise your job seekers platform?
Here are our top tips:
1 Consider what employees see
Look at your Facebook profile — and check out the privacy settings. Can anyone see what you post, or only your friends? When it comes to searching for a job, there are certain things that you would want your future employee to see, and other things — not so much.
For instance, pictures from a night out would be best for friends only. However, your work history and the “About” section should be visible to the employer.
When it comes to your about section, there are certain sections that you want to consider. They are the following:
The overview
The overview pulls all the information from various parts of your profile. Check out if it’s exactly what you want future employers to see. You can edit and change this, as well as decide who can view it.
Work and education
If you have a LinkedIn profile, it should be very similar to fill this out. Remember, keywords are really important here — make the most out of it. Don’t forget to showcase your most recent and impressive workplaces and education.
The places that you’ve lived
Many people aren’t comfortable with putting their current location on social media. However, putting a generalised city is a great way around this. Especially, as employers tend to want to hire somebody local.
Contact and basic information
This section gives you the ability to add your other social media accounts, birth date, religious and political views. You can also add your contact information — such as your phone number and email address. In this case, make sure only potential employers can see your contact details. This, of course, is for your protection and safety.
Adding your social media profiles is also a great way to bring attention to your LinkedIn profile — perhaps the best place to showcase your work.
Life events
Facebook allows you to showcase important happenings in your life. For instance, getting married or having your first child. For job seekers, this a great way to show off some of your accomplishments. You can list your graduation, list new jobs, a time you volunteered or gained a certification. Use this feature as a chance to show your employers everything that you’ve done — which could benefit them and their company.
2 Look out for your photos
The job seekers platform allows you to upload five photos that you can feature on your profile. Rather than using this space for selfies or pictures from nights out, you should use this to your advantage. Perhaps use this space to showcase how well-travelled you are, or some graduation pictures. Do you have any photos of the time you volunteered?
Even though there is nothing wrong with having pictures on your Facebook from a great night out, just make sure you hide anything that you wouldn’t want employers to see in your privacy settings.
3 Change your privacy settings
This brings us to the next point. You should change your privacy settings, especially if you do not want to share certain parts of your profile. Pictures or videos — you might want to hide from your public profile. They should be kept between friends. Facebook is really easy to understand in this sense. If you click on privacy checkup, it will offer you a walkthrough explanation on who can see your posts.
There are 4 lists that you can choose from, in regards to privacy:
Close friends — These are the people you don’t mind sharing personal information with.
Acquaintances — This is the majority of people on your friend’s list. Perhaps you don’t mind them seeing some of your status updates, but not your phone number.
Friends of friends — If you have mutual friends with somebody, they will be able to see a larger portion of your profile.
Custom — You can choose who sees what, you can even mute friends or block them. You should utilise all these options.
In the end, you should view your profile as others would see. Take a look around, and see if you’re happy with your employers seeing all that information.
4 Let people know you’re searching
If you’re unemployed or looking for a new job, you can also let your Facebook friends know. It might not be ideal, but your friends will want to help you. They could point you in the right direction — or even send your profile over to somebody that they know. Therefore, make sure that your status update should include the jobs you’re interested in, your location, and why you’re searching.
Side note: If you are employed, make sure your employer or colleagues won’t see this.
5 Follow people who might be helpful
Yes, you can now follow people on Facebook. This is an excellent feature for job seekers, especially if you know of somebody who continually posts jobs. You should consider following CEOs or employees that are in the industry you want to work in. Not to mention, there are tonnes of recruiters out there. If you follow these, you will be notified when a new job opportunity arrives.
6 Engage with people
Facebook can be a great way to network with people. Especially with groups. There’s a group for everything and everyone out there. You’ll be able to find a group for people seeking jobs, those offering jobs, and industry news. Do not hesitate to engage and connect with people in different groups — you know what they say, it’s about who you know, not about what you know.
7 Don’t forget about SEO
While your Facebook page should never replace your website — it can still be a great way to get noticed online. For instance, your about section should include keywords of jobs you’re looking for. That way, when recruiters search for a specific talent, your profile might just show up on their search engine.
If you are trying to search engine optimise your profile, make sure anybody can message you — and check your message requests regularly too.
8 Follow companies that interest you
It’s important to follow companies that you would love to work for. Also, make sure you’ll receive a notification every time they post. You never know, you might just find your next job, just by waiting for one of your favourite companies to post about it.
However, keep in mind that not all companies that look great are a great fit for you. Always make sure you research the company culture, work-life balance, distance from your home, number of employees, and organisation values.
When applying for a job posted by a company, be aware that Facebook doesn’t let you upload a resume, but you do have a 1,000-word character box this should be used for your cover letter and any relevant information you think they might need. Once you hit send, you’ll notice that the application will appear within your messages. The company will communicate with you over Facebook messenger unless they state otherwise.
Happy job searching.
