Social networks play an important role in all spheres of life, and the employment market is not an exception. According to CareerBuilder, at least 60% of recruiters study social networks when looking for candidates. Around 25% of people are rejected based on what they find.
On the other hand, some interesting opportunities find you only thanks to interesting profiles on social networks. You may start arguing that it is unfair or start working on your online reputation. It is possible to use social media to advance your career if you know the rules of this game.
How social networks can help you
Career. Social networks like LinkedIn are designed for building a professional network of contacts. You can find former colleagues, describe your work experience, learn more about other companies and employees. You can join different communities based on your career and professional interests.
Entrepreneurship. Social profile is a good way to find business partners and clients, to promote products and raise brand awareness. But before this, read the rules and regulation regarding advertising.
Education. Use the available resources to become more proficient in your field and learn new things. Education is the key to career success.
How to search for work in social networks
LinkedIn profile is an online resume. If you fill the career fields on Facebook, HRs can pay attention to it as well, though less frequently. Back to LinkedIn, it has a segmented audience which opens wide opportunities for networking and building a solid base of business contacts.
You can also participate in professional discussions, add friends and follow people who work in the field you are interested in and post useful content. It all doesn’t have an immediate effect, but it is a valuable investment in career growth.
Who is sought after in social networks
HRs most frequently look for people who communicate online a lot and showcases the result of their work in social networks. These are people of creative professions – designers, photographers, writers; IT specialists, advertising and marketing specialists, managers, finance and banking experts. Social networks open wide opportunities for freelancers.
How to make a good impression
To start with, it is necessary to understand that a personal blog and a page you want to use for career advancement are two different things. You can join them together, but it means more careful management of information on your page.
What is going on in your profile?
Work blog should contain maximum information about your professional skills and minimum about your personal life. There is no room for negative comments or dirty secrets about your former work. If you want to share something or provide feedback, it should be relevant and adequate, even if you write about negative things.
Before posting some information on your page, think about who is going to see it. Even when you use privacy settings, remember that any information you post on the web can become available for people from all over the globe.
Don’t accept friend requests from people you don’t know. Don’t repost information without checking it. Don’t share provocative posts that can harm your reputation. It doesn’t mean you shouldn’t express your ideas and attitudes, but only as long as they are 100% true to what you believe in.
Don’t post anything that you wouldn’t show your parents. Don’t post anything you may be ashamed of in the future.
Types of profiles
- Business. This type of profile is created to display the relevant information related to your working experience or your business. It should be a business portrait, useful and attractive for clients. Spend some time to figure out the goals you want to reach by the active web presence.
- Communication. These profiles are less official. However, if you plan to answer questions from the position of an expert, the majority of your contacts will be in the professional zone. Thus, don’t publish what they shouldn’t see.
- Education. You can use your profile to communicating with students or teachers, depending on which side you are. It will be useful for networking.
Basic rules
- Learn about privacy settings and set up your account properly.
- Keep business profiles separately from your private profile for communication with friends.
- Be reasonable. Think of what employers and clients should see before you post.
- Check how other people see your profile. Facebook has a special button for this. You can also Google your name and open a link that leads to your page.
Common mistakes you should avoid
- Participation in online scandals or shaming.
- Too active friends that tag you in embarrassing photos or inappropriate comments.
- Active posting and commenting during the working hours.
- Many negative reviews, including feedback about former employers.
- Describing your experience of an interview with a famous company.
- Grammar, spelling, and other mistakes.
- Mismatches in social networks and CV.
- Social silence, rejection to use social networks.
- Sharing luck chain letters or fake news.
