The largest percentage of communication & engagement between companies and individuals in the world today is happening on social media. Businesses of all sizes have come to embrace it and use it not just for marketing but also for more critical tasks like recruitment.
As a job seeker, it is your responsibility not only to keep up to date with the activities at these companies but also to make yourself noteworthy should there be a job opportunity. So, what are the basics? What does it take?
Your Name
We often get job inquiries on our facebook page and the first thing we notice is the person’s username. While you may have created your Facebook profile when you were 16 years old, you are now a grown person with serious career ambitions. Professional presentation starts with your profile name and it’s highly unlikely that a busy head-hunter will be inclined to look-up someone called “Cool boy Jay-jay” ahead of other people with real names. If you have intentions of using social media to find job opportunities, start by using your full name & preferably a facial mug shot as your profile photo.
Your bio
We are yet to meet a hiring company with a job description looking for someone who is a “Chief swag killer.” Keep your bio simple and preferably related to your CV cover letter or your personal professional ambition Simply state your personality or basic career ambition in a well written short statement for example “Aspiring programmer, life-long learner”
Humility
It’s tough to swallow but it’s a fact! No recruiter or employer is under the obligation to give you a job. Every time you contact any company about a job, know that it isn’t a must that they will hire you. Be humble, be patient and be considerate in all your communications so that you leave the best impression possible.
It helps to consistently post and discuss about issues related to your career or line of profession on social media; you never know
The quality of your conversations
Thanks to social media, a recruiter just has to visit your Twitter feed or LinkedIn profile to get the true story about all the claims you make on your CV cover letter. For example if your hobbies are reading, swimming & basketball, how come your feed is full off “Turn-Up” hashtags and binge drinking photos? It also helps to consistently post and discuss about issues related to your career or line of profession; you never know, your “dream” company may pick up on your expertise and engage you in what might end up being your dream job
Choose a focus and stick to it
Know exactly which line of work you want to pursue because job hunting is a lot like selling; the one who has the clearest description of their target market usually sells more & saves a lot of time. For example by deciding to pursue engineering, you can make a commitment to follow engineering companies, join engineering groups and connect with engineers on linkedin as opposed to being all over the place. Your chances will greatly increase if you focus your efforts.
Social media is no longer just a place to gossip and find funny content. Serious companies are active on these platforms and offer you a great opportunity to engage them directly. If your objective is to land a job with them, the basic tips above should give you a good place to start.
How are you going about your job hunt on Social Media? Tell us about it in the comments section below.
