Most employers and recruitment agencies today use social media to find and recruit the right people. A study shows that at least 70% of employers use social media to screen candidates during the hiring process. This means that social media has become an essential part of not only the recruitment process but also of your job search.
Your social media profile is basically an extension of your CV. This plays a big role in landing your dream job. Not only is social media a great way to showcase your professional skills and expertise, but it is also a great opportunity for you to learn about companies you are interested in. So how can you tap into the power of social media and use it as a tool to land your dream job?
Create Your Personal Brand
First impressions matter! And thanks to social media first impressions are often already formed through social media. Employers can get an impression of you, just based on the things you frequently post or share online. Therefore, when using social media, it is important to keep in mind that whatever you do can make or break your personal brand.
Use social media to build a professional portfolio. For example, you can use social media as a tool to get people to engage on your website (if you have one). Also, LinkedIn and Twitter are great professional social media sites and perfect for sharing industry related news, thoughts and ideas.
Share Your Expertise
This basically ties in with the previous point – Building a personal brand starts with sharing your expertise. For example, starting a blog on your website can be a great way to share your knowledge and thoughts of what’s happening within your industry. It shows employers that you’re up-to-date on what’s happening within your field of expertise.
In addition to that, share some of your experiences and use your website as an opportunity to showcase your portfolio. Whether it’s a web-design, content or client portfolio, it all supports in adding credibility to your work – Again, you can get people to engage with you by sharing links to your portfolio, blog posts etc. on your social media channels.
Connect With Like-Minded People
Don’t underestimate the power of connection. People can get an impression of who you are just based on the people you connect with or those that are within your circle. That’s why you really don’t have to be friends with everybody or connect with everybody. The best way to learn and grow is to hang around people who can/will bring the best out of you, and this also applies to your ‘social media friends’. Connect with people who will inspire and motivate you and who you can learn from.
Be Your True Self
Besides keeping it professional, it is also important to stay authentic and remain yourself. You don’t have to pretend to be someone you’re not just to ‘look important’ and land a dream job. No single person is professional a 100% of the time. Everyone has something they are highly passionate about outside of work and it’s okay to share that with your network. If you are super creative in a particular area, why not showcase that?
Besides being good in what you do, you’re also human. Having a great personality and attitude is even more important in order to be a great fit for a company.
