Ramp Up Your Job Search with Social Media
Did you know that the average person spends about 135 minutes per day using social media? It’s proving over and over that this platform is a powerful tool for hiring managers and job seekers to make “career matches.”
How Do Employers Use Social Media?
According to one recent survey, 70% of employers use social media to screen candidates during the hiring process. And a recent study by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) found that 84% of employers recruit via social media. Also, 43% of companies say that the quality of candidates has improved because of social media.
What Can You Do to Energize Your Job Search Using Social Media?
Follow, follow, follow. By following companies that you might like to work for, you’ll stay up to date on company news and trends. Make sure you follow HireHorticulture.com. We take social media seriously! HireHorticulture.com posts all new jobs on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and Google+. By following our social media pages, you’ll get instant updates on new jobs as soon as they are posted; it allows you to be the first out of the gate to apply. And, it’s easy!
Searching: Use the search options on the various social media platforms. For example, by simply using #HireHort on Facebook and Twitter; you’ll find jobs that HireHorticulture.com has shared.
Make Social Media Work for You: Hiring managers are using social media to their benefit, why shouldn’t you? Although your personal Facebook page is great for sharing vacation pics and pinning your favorite inspirational quotes, it can also land you a dream job. Facebook and LinkedIn aren’t just for friends anymore, be smart and use it to be “job seeking detective.”
Company Research. Of course, you can go straight to a company’s website to get a sense of who they are and what they do. But also check out their social media profiles, and any other places you might find them on the web. Read their blogs, posts, and tweets to get a sense of the tone in which they are written, and their focus. You can learn a lot about a company by their daily, constantly changing social media messages—much more so than with a static web page. Keeping up with the company on social media can also come in handy should you be called in for a job interview, you’ll have more current knowledge that you can reference.
Showcase your Talents. If you don’t already have your social media profiles in place, get on it! It’s a great place to showcase your skills. Just finished getting a new certification? Make sure to put that out there. Remember, you can use social media to not only look for a job or a company to connect with, but to also highlight those special skills, education, and experience that recruiters and hiring managers are looking for.
Networking. You can really use any social media channel to network. So, take the time to fill out your profiles. Write personal notes to the people with whom you’re connecting, rather than opting for the standard line that they offer you. The more personal you make your interactions, the more you’ll get from it. These connections can help you reach more people to help you find the next opportunity.
While social media is full of distractions like recipes and cat videos, it can also be important in your job search effort and in your career. Clean up your profile, add your job history and maybe some of your current projects, and start searching. Your perfect job is out there. CAUTION: Don’t put anything on your Facebook page that you’d be embarrassed for a potential employer to see!
To get more tips and resources, check out the Articles & Videos page at HireHorticulture.com!