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Social media platforms are typically used by individuals to express themselves, discuss their interests, and connect with families and friends. However, these are no longer the only use of these sites. In recent years, they have also become a key player in the job search process. According to Clutch’s findings, approximately 14% of 507 new hires they surveyed found their job through social media. This number is expected to rise in the years to come.
Another study by Monster.com revealed that the number of employers using social media to source candidates has significantly increased. From just 11% in 2006, more than 80% of companies have been using social media as a recruitment tool as of 2017. Thus, giving you more chances of finding and landing your dream job. In this article, we will share the best social media sites that can help you with your job search. But let’s start with discussing the advantages of using such platforms for job searching.
Connecting yourself to the technological world of social media maximizes your job search success rate. Having an active social media presence is a powerful way to market yourself, demonstrate your personal brand, boost your professional network, and be connected to resources in your fields of interest. In addition, you can be accessible to recruiters or hiring professionals looking for an individual with your skills, qualifications, and expertise.
Social media made it easier for everyone to build new valuable connections, which is a key component of a successful job search. According to an article, the US Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that 70% of all jobs are found through social networking. Hence, using social media sites to network professionally can give you access to more job opportunities, including those never made available to job seekers through job boards. This increases your chances of landing your desired role with your dream company.
As a job seeker looking for a perfect employer, you can also use social media as a research tool to learn more about the company you’re most interested in. By going through their social media platforms, you can get an idea about their values, culture, day-to-day activities, or how they treat their people. This way, you can effectively evaluate whether the company is a perfect fit for you and your career goals.
With a variety of social media options today, you may be asking what platforms you should be on. That is why we have listed the 6 top social media sites that can definitely give you the best results. To provide you with a better sense of what these sites have to offer, let’s explore each one of them below.
1. LinkedIn
LinkedIn is by far the number one spot for job seekers who are actively looking for new opportunities. With over 55 million companies listed on the site, it’s no surprise that it is considered to be a great resource for accessing job postings. In fact, it provides approximately 14 million open jobs.
LinkedIn is also an excellent tool to grow and maintain your professional network. With more than 750 million members worldwide, it will help you get to know more people who can provide job opportunities or recommend you to your dream company. As a matter of fact, a study showed that 35.5 million job seekers had been hired by an individual they connected with on the site. Hence, it is imperative to continuously expand your network and build a great contact list.
2. Facebook
Facebook has more than one billion active users globally. As such, it is a perfect tool to connect with people, update a colleague about what job you’re most interested in or ask a contact for assistance with your job search. Although it is an informal medium and widely used by people to connect with family and friends, it is increasingly used by companies for more commercial reasons. This includes communicating with staff, asking clients for feedback, and recruiting or vetting potential employees. In fact, 55% of employers are using Facebook to source candidates.
In 2017, Facebook launched a jobs section to connect its users with 70 million businesses. This job board gives you access to different job advertisements posted by the companies you are following. It also has a feature where you can filter by industry and job type or search by keywords, allowing you to find your desired role more easily. So, if you don’t want to miss any opportunities, make sure to like and follow the Facebook page of the company you want to work for.
3. Instagram
According to the Jobvite 2020 Recruiter Nation Report, Instagram use for recruiting has surged from 18% to 37% since 2017. Kelly Lavin, Senior VP of Talent at Jobvite, said that this platform gives recruiters a deeper understanding of who the candidate is by the content they share and how they present themselves online. For this reason, this platform has become an excellent tool to build a job seeker’s personal brand. Posting things that showcase your values, personality, professional pursuits, experience, and skills will enable recruiters to determine if you’re a good fit for their company.
Following the companies that interest you can unearth various opportunities. You can also connect and engage with their recruiters or key personnel responsible for hiring. This can be done by liking, commenting, or adding valuable insights to their Instagram posts. Sharing the company’s content when it makes sense is also a great way to get noticed. As you follow their Instagram page, you can also get a glimpse of the company’s culture, values, and work environment.
4. Pinterest
Pinterest is a platform where users can create and share content within the context of visually-oriented pinboards. While this site may not have a reputation for professional networking, you can use this to develop your brand. You can create different boards that show your work experience, accomplishments, special projects, awards, and even interests. This will serve as your portfolio that you can share with potential employers. By doing this, you can also demonstrate your creativity, which will allow you to stand out from the crowd.
In addition, there are various job search sites like CareerBliss and FlexJobs that use Pinterest to showcase items related to finding a job. They have relevant boards for company culture, companies to work for, current job openings, and of course, how to find your dream job. Hence, we suggest following the accounts of these sites to give you greater access to different opportunities.
5. Twitter
Most people use Twitter to share personal status updates, follow the current news or find the latest trends. However, for job seekers, it is a powerful resource for connecting with potential employers to keep up with the latest job openings. One benefit Twitter offers is the free-flowing communication that enables you to interact directly with recruiters or hiring professionals. Consequently, allowing you to showcase the value you can bring to their organization as a potential employee without the need to submit a resume first.
Twitter also has different features you can use to maximize your job search. One of these is TwitJobSearch.com, a search engine that allows you to search the site for job opportunities using keywords. You can also take advantage of its #Discover tab to easily find influencers in your field and develop relationships. Another great way to find relevant vacancies is to use popular hashtags, such as #nowhiring, #jobsearch, or more industry-specific ones like #salesjobs, #adminjobs, or #engineeringjobs.
6. YouTube
Did you know that YouTube is the second most visited website in the world? Hence, it’s gaining popularity as an alternative to other job search tools. Not only can you watch various videos about job searching, but also you can use the platform to promote yourself to potential employers. You can do this by creating a portfolio that demonstrates your experience, achievements, and skills, which you can easily share with your target company.
Another strategic way to leverage YouTube for your job search is to create a video resume. This way, you can speak directly to potential employers about what makes you a unique candidate for a specific role. Moreover, it allows you to showcase how your creativity and personality match the company’s culture. This approach can be a powerful addition to your application and help you better distinguish yourself from the competition.
In a nutshell, social media isn’t just for socializing anymore. These days, it is considered a visual resume of your experience, skills, strengths, and interests. Hence, it is crucial to maintain up-to-date social media profiles and an active online presence. No matter what or how many platforms you use for your job search, remember to keep it consistent in terms of branding and be mindful of how you present yourself to the world.
