Using social media to job hunt

Using social media to job hunt

Manchester Metropolitan University

Can you find jobs via

social media?

I asked Twitter

• Cheaper than traditional methods

• Reach more relevant candidates

• Get more coverage

• Might know them

Why do employers use social media to find candidates?

2010 Careerbuilder survey:

43% of employers found content that caused them not to hire the candidate

• Candidate showed poor communication skills (31%)

• Candidate posted content related to drink or drugs (10%)

Top reasons for not hiring a candidate:

• Candidate made discriminatory comments (13%)

• Candidate posted inappropriate photographs or information (9%)

Half of employers found content which resulted in a job offer…

• Candidate showed solid communication skills (41%)

• Profile provided a good feel for the candidate’s personality and fit (28%)

• Candidate conveyed a professional image (22%)

Positives of using social media

Three things to consider when using social media to job hunt

• Finding the jobs

• Standing out from the crowd

• Use several sites to make the best impression

Twitter

• Promotion

• Demonstrate a passion

• Create relationships

• Learn more

• Find a job

Twitter: Promotion

• Profile blurb – promotional box.

• Promoting anything you’ve done relevant to your career (blogs, work experience)

Twitter: Demonstrate a passion

• Post interesting content relating to what you want to do.

• Website links

• Your own thoughts on industry topics

Twitter: Create relationships

• RT and reply to other tweets

• Leave your own opinion

• Get into discussions

Twitter: Learn more

• Follow people in the industry you want to work in.

• Read their tweets

• Read their blogs

Twitter: Finding people to follow

• Lists

• Look at RTd people

• Filtertweeps

Finding interesting people

Twitter: Finding jobs

• Users in an industry usually tweet jobs

• Follow official company accounts – they tweet the jobs first.

• Search: Job titles, #hashtags

LinkedIn

• Online CV

• Allow you to keep in contact with ‘connections’

• Share links and information

• Promote your skills and experience

• Job hunt

LinkedIn: Your activity on the site

• Fill in all the details

• Photos

• Professional content

• Recommendations

LinkedIn: Finding connections

• Work experience

• Past jobs

• Networking events

LinkedIn: Getting involved

• Join local groups

• Promote content

• Join discussions

• Keep an eye on job section

insight

Blogging

• Great for promotion and raising awareness

• Display a passion and knowledge

• Increase your knowledge- of industry and platforms

• Promote this content via your social channels

• Posterous/Tumblr

insight

Blog: What to blog about

• Industry news

• Your work – “process story”

• An industry event you’ve been to

• Stuff that interests you

• One or twice every two weeks

• Check your spelling

insight

Facebook

• Privacy settings – check to see what everyone can see

• Only in very rare circumstances use Facebook i.e pages

Some general pointers

• There are no set rules

• Don’t feel like you have to do all at once

• Stick with it