Social Media: Your Job Search Secret Weapon

Written by: Marie F. Zemen

One of the ways to plant a seed is via social media. There are so many social media networks, so how should you manage your online presence?

Keynote speaker, Dr. Carl Forkner, focused on maneuvering through social media. Carl wears many hats: Navy veteran with over 28 years of service (Naval Flight Officer and Surface Warfare Officer), Career Connectors LinkedIn and Social Media volunteer coach, Director of Marketing and Special Projects for Dynamic Worldwide Training Consultants, and Ambassador for the Mesa Chamber of Commerce.

As Carl noted: Job vs. Career; it’s all about context. It’s the same way with social media. You need to establish goals and to have a vision of where you want to go and what you want to do.

Social Media includes Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Google+, Instagram, Pinterest and YouTube.

The  facts:
What percent of the population is online?North America – 81%
Western Europe – 78%
East Asia – 48%
Southeast Asia – 25%

What percent of the population is on Social Media?North America – 56% (Canada – 82%; US – 75%)
Western Europe – 44%
East Asia – 43%
Southeast Asia – 26%

What percent of the population is on Mobile Social Media?North America – 101%
Western Europe – 129%
East Asia – 92%
Southeast Asia – 109%

The world is becoming ever more mobile, and social media is designed to accommodate that. 64% of 1.35 Billion are active every single day on Facebook.

Why do you need an online presence? 90% of hiring managers and job recruiters review online information about job applicants before making a hiring decision. Of those, over 70% said they rejected candidates based on information they found or didn’t find online. 86% of employers think candidates should take at least one action to make their profiles more employer friendly – clean up your online presence. Religious and political comments should not be posted; objectionable posts should also be removed.

A good prospect conveys a professional image (professional photograph, is creative (puts their own touch to it), and has background information that matches qualifications for jobs. Over 20% of HR managers found something to convince them to hire one individual over another. You need something to make you stand out.

A bad prospect is made by provocative or inappropriate information on one’s site(drinking or using drugs;discriminatory comments). Something bad will hurt you more than having something good would help you.

Why are you not using Social Media to find jobs? It’s free!

80% of companies use LinkedIn to find candidates; 50% use Facebook; 45% use Twitter.

93% of recruiters are actively using LinkedIn to find candidates. Place LinkedIn address on your resume. Only 38% of job seekers are using it! This gives you an advantage.

Facebook: You can use the Search Bar as you would Google Search (Ex. Phoenix Jobs), you can also search for a specific company or look for a “career” or “jobs” link.

LinkedIn: Can be used to find new business partners, new clients, or even events. The Six Critical Profile Components are:
· Name, Headline, Industry & Location
· Professional Photograph
· Summary
· Current & Previous Work Experience
· Education & Skills
· Connections (50+)

To Reach All Star Status, start with people you know – then people that will help with your career goals. The gold mine is their connections.  Connect with some of their connections; follow the same people they follow. This is a way for you to get noticed and have at least one person in common. Be sure to refresh your profile.  For keyword searches, the content of your headline is weighted 3 times heavier than any other section of your profile. Try to obtain 1 – 2 recommendations for each job within the last ten years.

Finding the Right Companies: Select “Companies” from the “Interest” menu, then use the search bar and type in Company Name or Industry. Identify and send a connection request to people in companies you targeted. Select connections based on your skills set. Connecting with HR and Recruiters may link you better into the company. Have a way to introduce yourself through another person already connected to them. Be introduced by someone already at the company. Then you will not be a cold call.

Introductions: When viewing a company on LinkedIn, the right hand column shows “How You’re Connected”– these are the people who can introduce you to someone at the company. Asked to be introduced; your note to 1st connection will be forwarded to 2nd person. Be careful how you craft your request for introduction in note to 1st connection because that is also forwarded to 2nd person.

Your secret weapon for your Social Media search: #Hashtag is the secret. Hashtag is only as good as the correct spelling. #financejobs; #teachingjobs; #employment; #hiring.

TweetChat: allows you to follow specific #Hashtags.

TweetMyJobs.com. Looking for a particular role, particular city, you receive notification that it has met your specific criteria (all postings whether on a company site, Monster, etc.).

Google+: Google+ gives you information on what’s trending related to what you’re searching. #Hashtag search on google will give you Facebook, LinkedIn.  Pinterest, YouTube and Instagram can all be used in your job search.

Nextdoor is a private social network for your neighborhood. Cities are now getting on NextDoor; City of Mesa is on Nextdoor.

WHAT NEXT? Get up. Get Out. Get Going. Business is built on shaking hands across the table and seeing you.

Google Search:  Networking Phoenix – there are over 100 networking events per month. Varying career fields. Some have a fee, some do not. Meetup.com – parsed out by different professions.  Executive Networks.com, for Director-level and above; meets twice a month with a fee.

Carl’s final recommendation: Job Searching with Social Media for Dummies book.  Carl’s presentation is available for further reference.

Article courtesy of Career Connectors