You have finally graduated, and it’s time to get out there into the real world and begin your career. So, you need to start using all of the job search tools that are available at your disposal. Did you know that the social media sites you use can also be effective job search tools? Social media isn’t just all about posting selfies and chatting with friends. It can be a really effective resource. As long as you know how to use it properly, it can be a great tool to help you get the job of your dreams, or one that is going to take you in the direction you need to go. Here are some ways that you can use your social media sites as effective job search tools.
- Create a Professional Presence – If you are going to use social media in your job search, it is time to become more professional. Gone are the days when you can post photos of yourself partying, drinking, and basically being unprofessional. These are all things that potential employers do not want to see. You need to change your profile photo to one that looks professional (a head and shoulders shot is best), and basically turn your social media into online resumes. If there is a lot of stuff on your pages that wouldn’t be considered professional, it is time to clean things up.
- Include the Right Information – Potential employers are looking for certain things. It is a good idea to start looking at the social media profiles of other professionals and see what information they are offering. Your social media presence should be professional, and your pages should contain information that make recruiters want to learn more about you and what you can offer a company. Again, we can’t stress enough how important it is to remain professional at all times, even when you really want to post that dirty joke, your latest party photos, etc.
- Watch Your Words – This goes right along with including the right information. You have to be so careful about what you say on your social media pages. It is so easy for words to be taken out of context, and then you don’t look the least bit professional. One careless comment could completely destroy all of the good you have done for your online reputation, so be careful about everything you say when you are using your social media pages.
- Upgrade Your Tech – If you are using an older smartphone or laptop, it probably runs slow, and doesn’t have the features you need to be able to get the most out of social media. So, it is time to upgrade to something new. You might think you can’t afford it, but if you visit sites like Gadget Salvation, you can sell your old iPhone or laptop for top dollar, and use the money to upgrade to a newer version that has the features you really need to help you succeed in your job search.
- Activate Privacy Settings – Just because you are using your social media to advance in your career, it doesn’t mean that it can’t also be used for personal purposes. But, you need to keep your personal life and business life separate, which means that it is important to take advantage of the privacy settings. There are things that employers just do not need to know about you, but if you don’t use the privacy settings, everyone can see everything on your pages. It is extremely important to manage what others see. Make sure that only certain people can see certain posts, and that employers are not able to see everything you post.
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