October 20, 2010

How to use social networking to power your job search

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By Kristen Fife
NWjobs

Q: How can I use social networking in my job search? -AH, Issaquah

Kristen says: There are two ways you can incorporate social networking into your job search. The first is to take advantage of tools employers are using via social networking platforms to advertise jobs. The second is to proactively use social networking as a way to reach potential employers.

Probably the single most widely used platform for recruiters is LinkedIn. Recruiters and hiring managers view profiles of both potential candidates and industry experts for referrals. The Groups section is invaluable for meeting other industry professionals that may be able to help you in your search, and each group has a “jobs” tab where you can look for jobs. LinkedIn basic accounts are free. Make sure you have an attractive profile that showcases your skills. Facebook is another platform that recruiters are using to find individuals. Make sure that your information is professional (including photos and wall content).

Probably the most confusing social media platform for most people, both in business and for consumers, is Twitter. Leveraging Twitter is trickier than Facebook or LinkedIn. There are a couple of very specialized services that use Twitter, such as Tweet My Jobs. Job seekers can sign up to have specific types of jobs sent as tweets to their cell phones. Job Shouts is another social media job alert service. For a job seeker, Twitter is a great way to brand yourself as a subject matter expert and get yourself noticed by employers. You do this by disseminating articles, posting links to your updated industry blog, finding other professionals to follow and network with via hash tags (the # symbol) that act as metadata pointers in searches. There is an almost dizzying array of applications to help manage your Twitter stream beyond the Twitter website, such as HootSuite and Tweetdeck. By using an aggregator such as Ping you can update any/all of your profiles from anywhere.

Social media is a great platform for job seekers as it is low-to-no cost and can quickly reach a large, targeted audience. Just make sure to be focused in your content and searches.

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Recruiter's Inbox, networking, social media

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