Social Media and the Job Search
“A professional photo, up to date resume, and at least one recommendation is essential to a strong LinkedIn profile. Accept everyone who sends you a connection request; you never know who may be reaching out with an employment opportunity.”
-Mike McKay, Marketing Director, Jozii
How to make social media work for you and not against you in your job search.
Many students are using social networks and online directories. While these virtual communities are valuable resources, we would like you to remember that just as your friends are able to search your profiles, prospective employers and others in a position to influence your job search are also increasingly relying on these networks. We recommend that you do not put anything in your profile that you do not want employers to read or see. We further recommend that you use “blockers” to prevent unwanted comments from being posted to your site. Be sure and check your site often and remove inappropriate material.
Your social media profiles can be used in your job search! First, you want to check to make sure your profile meets a professional standard. Recruiters look at social media when looking at prospective employees by looking at some of the following points.
Social Media can help you find positions that are not currently listed on websites. Using your connections you can see positions not yet listed. Putting a call out on your social media is a great way to use the tool in your job search.
Recruiters are using social media to check applicants for the following criteria:
- How well you communicate (your spelling, punctuation, and grammar as well as your ability to clearly communicate ideas).
- Your work history and education.
- Your industry knowledge.
- Your use of alcohol.
- Your use of illegal substances.
- Your use of profanity.
- How you spend your non-work time.
Go through your entire social media profile, check to ensure there are no pictures, statuses, or information that may hurt you in your job search. Try to the same professional photo across all of your social media sites. (Joyce, 2013, jobhunt.com)
Using LinkedIn
What Is LinkedIn?
LinkedIn is a professional social media site that allows you to quickly and easily perform the following tasks:
- Continually update your professional profile
- Track your involvement in on-campus extracurricular organizations and off-campus employment/volunteer work
- Build and maintain your professional network
- Find others in your target interest areas through use of groups
Who Is On LinkedIn?
LinkedIn has over 60 million users ranging from first-year college students to CEOs, Presidents and other leaders across virtually all economic, professional and educational sectors.
When Should I Start Using LinkedIn?
The short answer: now. The long answer: Building up a professional profile that takes into account all of your extracurricular and pre-professional experience takes time. You ideally want to begin building a presence on LinkedIn well before you are ready to start an internship, job or graduate school search.
Why Should I Start Using LinkedIn?
LinkedIn is the BEST resource for broadcasting your professional identity via the internet and using this identity to create and maintain a professional network.
How Do I Get Started?
Go to www.linkedin.com to create an account and build a profile. If you need some initial tips, follow the “More” tab to the “Learning Center.” The videos there will help get you going on LinkedIn!
Where Can I Get More Information?
For more information, please visit MMC Career Services, 106 Main or attend a Getting LinkedIn Workshop held throughout the academic year. A career counselor will meet with you to further discuss how LinkedIn can be helpful to your individual professional development.