Social media is not just about sharing jokes and funny cat memes; it’s much more than that. If used effectively, it can make the process of job hunting easier. Consequently, your ‘timepass’ activity will become more productive and rewarding.
The job climate is changing fast and so is the process of job hunting. Sticking to job portals only won’t help you get your most coveted job these days. Your online portfolio holds a lot of importance in the eyes of hiring managers. So, what you post or comment online can affect your chances of getting hired. In a survey conducted by Jobvite, it was discovered that 94 percent of recruiters search social profiles while looking for candidates.
Here we are not going to dole out the most common advice: “Present Yourself as a Brand” or “Become a thought leader”. This can certainly work for a select few, but it does not suit everybody. Here are a few things you should consider:
Putting an impressive tagline is okay, but what matters for a recruiter are the qualities and skills you bring on the table. Your skills should be clear from your LinkedIn or Twitter profile. Also make sure that a recruiter finds it easily. Apart from this, adding portfolios and side projects would be a good way to demonstrate your skills.
You should not network just for the sake of getting a job. You can also praise someone and invite them for a cup of coffee because they wrote a fantastic LinkedIn blog. Such initiatives will help break ice and help you engage in a long-lasting relationship with people.
Do you take your LinkedIn profile seriously? Is it optimized properly? If not, do it now. Here is how you can do it:
Show your skills by participating in discussions in relevant groups, and provide feedback on topics related to your skillset. Don’t shy away from expressing your opinion. People recognize you if you are active on Quora, LinkedIIn or Twitter. It’s a better indicator of what you can do.
And the last piece of advice is — you should avoid political rants and spelling and grammatical mistakes. That may work against you.
The above strategies won’t give you overnight result; there is a good chance that you may get discouraged after some time. Not every person will respond to your request and that is what life is. However, doing this consistently will certainly help you get your dream job sooner or later. And your life and career will change after that.