Social Media
84% of employers use social media in their recruitment...
Connecting with potential employers through social media, such as LinkedIn or Twitter, can help with career choices, applications, interviews and assessment centres.
Signing up for regular social media updates can also make researching an employer easier. You can find out more about what they do and current issues affecting their business. This can help you write more effective applications and give you more confidence at interviews.
Liking, following, commenting and asking questions shows an interest in a particular organisation or sector.
Social media can also be invaluable for speculative applications.
Your online presence can help you:
- Finding advertised and hidden work opportunities
- Creating a network that you can rely on throughout your career
- Develop professional credibility and build your personal ‘brand’
There are many websites which help you make the most of social media – Beginners Guide and Prospects are a good place to start.
Assess your 'Digital Footprint'
Assess your 'Digital Footprint'
Before connecting with an employer through social media, you need to be aware of your ‘digital footprint’. Does your online presence support or hinder your hunt for job opportunities? Employers and recruitment consultants are increasingly using social media and other online methods to both identify and ‘check out’ candidates.
Think about your prospective employer - what is the first thing they will see if they ‘Google’ you? Will they approve? It is estimated that up to 70% of employers look up candidates on social media sites or search engines
It is important to remember that it is you who has control of the image you project to potential employers. Managing your digital footprint well will help you make a positive impression.
Remember to think about:
- your image - use an appropriate profile photograph or avatar
- privacy - check settings to see who can access your profile
- your impact - avoid discussing current or past jobs negatively
- a consistent profile - match your online profile with your ‘paper profile’
- personal versus professional - what does your network say about you?
- discretion - don’t give too much information
The following websites and articles provide advice on using social media for job searching and managing your online reputation and image: