Tips to maximise Job search through social media channels

Abhay Gupta

Social media has evolved so much that people not only use these for connecting with friends, watching dog videos, etc. — but also for job search. It’s not an uncommon nowadays to get a job through social media and 70% of hiring managers say they've successfully hired with social media.

 If you’re someone who is job hunting but hasn’t integrated social media into this process, then you’re missing out on a huge piece of the pie. Even most employers and recruitment agencies today are using social media to source the right candidates, which means it should be a big part of your job search strategy.

 Companies have started engaging with their audience online to build more loyalty towards the brand. There are many start-ups and mid-size companies that post job openings on social media. Why? So that they can find potential employees who understand the company's product or service.

 But wait… before you go looking for a job through social media, you need to know which exact platforms to even start with.

 LinkedIn: As the go-to network for both job seekers and hiring managers, your top priority should be perfecting your LinkedIn profile. Some recruiters even screen LinkedIn profiles of candidates before/after the interview process. Some recruiters even use this platform to find candidates before they’ve even posted the job opening.

 Facebook: From a career perspective Facebook can provide a resource of information on both individuals and companies. A great way to build your network on Facebook is by engaging and providing value in industry-specific Facebook groups.

 Your CV is normally only seen by those to whom you have either sent it directly or by recruiters who have paid for access to the candidate database of a recruitment website, so by using social media sites in your job search you can increase the visibility of your professional profile and be seen by the wider world. It puts your skills and experience into the public domain and provides opportunities to network online with professionals from all kinds of different employment sectors.

 73% of millennials found their last position through a social media site.

 Here are a few tips that can help you leverage social media effectively for job search:

 ●       Ensure your social media profiles state that you are actively job seeking and the type of role you are interested in, make sure you use keywords so recruiters can find you

●       Get involved in LinkedIn & Facebook Groups related to your industry and start building your network

●       Initiate conversations with individuals & professionals that interest you

●       Your updates shouldn’t coincide with your professional updates unless they’re relevant

●       Build genuine relationships, not relationships for the sake of getting a job.

 It's always a good idea to engage with industry leaders and portray yourself as a thought leader on all social media platforms.

You should also focus more on spreading a congruent persona across all social media sites. The key is to shift your emphasis from looking at positions to finding people.

Optimising your social media profiles for a job search can be overwhelming at first, so just get the ball rolling by focusing your time and energy on one site at a time.

 — The writer is Co-founder, Board Infinity