Using social media to job hunt Manchester Metropolitan University
Nov 06, 2014
Using social media to job huntManchester 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
• 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
• 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
• 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