Most people know that social media can be a powerful tool for networking and building relationships, but did you know that you can also use it to get recruited?
That’s right – with a little effort and strategic thinking, you can use social media to enhance your career profile and attract the attention of recruiters.
But where do you begin, and what should you avoid doing? Here are some tips to help you get started:
1. Do more than just the minimum
If you only post once in a while or connect with a few people, recruiters will pay little attention to you. Recruiters won’t sift through hundreds of your friends to find out if you post anything interesting. To make an impression, you need to be active and engaged on social media. Post regularly, share helpful content, connect with people, and comment on their posts.
2. Enhance your career profile
Your LinkedIn profile is your most important online profile, so make sure it’s up-to-date and includes all your relevant skills and experience. If you have other professional profiles on Twitter, Facebook, or other sites, ensure they’re also up-to-date and include links to your LinkedIn profile. Recruiters often look at these profiles during vetting, so make sure yours stands out.
3. Stay up-to-date with current trends
Recruiters are always looking for candidates who are up-to-date with the latest trends in their field. This doesn’t mean you have to know everything about the latest machine learning algorithm or blockchain technology; you don’t have to be an expert in everything. But you should show that you’re interested in staying informed about what’s happening in your industry. To do this, make sure you read industry news and follow thought leaders in your field on social media. Recruiters will spot an actor who doesn’t care about their profession a mile away, so ensure you’re actively engaged with your profession by following industry news and engaging with thought leaders. Be careful not to go overboard — no one is impressed when someone comments on every blockchain tweet.
4. Remember that everybody can see your actions online
— even if they don’t want to.
5. Create a professional profile using your real name rather than an alias
LinkedIn seems like a safe place, but it isn’t! You can change your name after creating the new LinkedIn account, which will mean starting over again. Just do it right from the start!
6. Post relevant content
And not stuff about how many drinks you had last weekend or the color of your cat’s eyes. Remember that if you want to get recruited, you need to post relevant content. Avoid writing things like “how much does this company suck?!!” and “They never reply.” Not every recruiter is friendly. Remember: anything posted on social media (Twitter/Facebook/LinkedIn, etc.) is public. If there is something that you wouldn’t want a prospective employer to read, then don’t post it. Does showing off all of your drinking pictures help your cause?
7. Use social media to engage with prospective employers; use it as a tool
It might sound like this goes without saying, but nevertheless: if you want to get recruited, you need to be proactive.