Social Media : Leveraging it for career.
Social media is now considered as an important part of education
and career, it is now considered to be strong job search instrument,
regardless of where you might be in your career.
As
high as 37 % of hiring personnel discovered new hires through social
media in 2016. Clearly, one is missing out on job opportunities if one
is not on one of the many social networks. That being said, social media
can be confusing. Is Twitter a good place to find a job? Should your
Facebook profile be dedicated solely to your career?
The
answers to these and other questions vary based on career and specific
career goals. From establishing a professional brand to connecting with
key figures, each network has its own value. In the end, it’s up to you
to determine how much energy you want to dedicate to each one, and which
will help you the most.
LinkedIn is a must
when it comes to advancing your career, LinkedIn is the social platform
you need to be on. At its most basic, LinkedIn can serve as a digital
version of your resume. You can list your work history, education,
certifications and any other information you think might be useful to
potential employers.
LinkedIn is more than just
a digital resume though. It’s a social platform that can be used to
connect to all the people in your professional life, including
coworkers, supervisors, clients, contractors and customers.
You
can also use LinkedIn to connect to other people you may not know.
Those feeling bold can reach out to secondary connections and LinkedIn
Groups are forums where you can discuss the finer details of your
industry.
Twitter influence requires time
If
you would like to add another social platform, Twitter is a solid
option, but to get job opportunities or recognition within your field
requires significant time and energy. Re-tweeting and sharing your own
thoughts, as well as talking to others is a must. If you don’t commit
the resources, you won’t gain much influence or get approached for
career opportunities.
For those unable to
commit the resources needed to gain recognition, Twitter is still a
great way for keeping on top of your industry on a day-to-day or even
minute-to-minute basis. Tracking influencers in your field,
industry-specific media and executives you’ve worked for or would prefer
to work for can give you granular insight on your career or someone’s
thought processes.
The biggest social media mistake on Facebook
Hiring
managers regularly scour applicants’ Facebook profile in search of
offensive material. So, the biggest mistake you can make is to post
something that scares off potential employers. Pornographic, violent,
threatening and vulgar content should be avoided at all costs. It’s also
good to steer clear of controversial topics, unless those topics are
directly related to your field. Even then, controversy should be handled
delicately.
Facebook is an excellent and easy
way to search for jobs, however, its also be most visible way to make
yourself appear like the kind of person a hiring manager wouldn’t want
to bring on board.
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