Written by: Last updated: Jan 17, 2023
If you’re job searching, we’ve got good news: Employers are waging a war for talent, which means the odds are in your favor. A savvy social media strategy can help you land that dream position. From reading our other posts, you already know how to use your online presence to leverage your career and network with professionals. Now we’ll show you how to find job openings with social media.
Showcase Your Talents
Think of your social media presence as an online portfolio, showcasing your industry expertise, your winning personality, and your valuable experiences. You want recruiters to see at a glance why you’re right for that dream job. Make your résumé easy to access so potential employers can “look at your qualifications and talk about fit before they ever even reach out to you,” explains Artemio Ramirez Jr., professor and assistant director of USF's Zimmerman School of Advertising and Mass Communications.
Here’s an easy step you can take today. Leverage your LinkedIn’s recommendation feature and skills and endorsements section:
- Just as you’d request a traditional letter of recommendation, ask a colleague to write you one for LinkedIn. This New York Times article explains that some employers “take recommendations on LinkedIn almost as seriously as ones received in more traditional ways.”
- Fill out a list of your skills (you can add up to 50) on your LinkedIn profile so that others can endorse them. Do the same for colleagues if you feel confident verifying they have these abilities.
Start Networking
“Make sure that before you’re even on the market, you’re already networking,” says Ramirez. He offers these tips:
- Don’t limit yourself to people in your industry. Network with professionals in related fields, and stay open to job possibilities outside your college major.
- Job leads often come from your “weak ties” rather than your “strong ties.” Use your social presence to connect with those friends-of-friends-of-friends who may have interesting professions.
If the idea of networking makes you nervous, remember that it’s really just about building relationships. As this Forbes article explains, good brand builders give back to their community: “They contribute to discussions, provide great advice, and genuinely help others as much as they can.” Brainstorm how you can use social media to assist someone today. It’ll earn you social currency for when you need to ask them for job advice later.
Search for Hashtags
Follow organizations in your industry so you’ll be the first to know when they post about new openings. If you don’t want to wait around for your dream company to tweet about an available position, you can also search for these job-related hashtags recommended by Glassdoor and U.S. News & World Report:
- #JobListing
- #JobOpening
- #JobTips
- #JobHuntChat
- #Recruiting
- #Freelance
- #Résumé
- #GraduateJobs
- #Hiring
- #Joinourteam
- Hashtags containing keywords related to your industry, location, or job title
Search for Postings
Does your alma mater offer a Handshake subscription for alumni? If so, you’re in luck. Describing itself as a “career community,” Handshake lets you create a profile, connect with employers, talk to peers about their experiences, and search for positions.
Along with using job search sites like Indeed, you can also search for positions on LinkedIn. Just follow these steps outlined by U.S. News & World Report: “Under the jobs tab, type the keyword or job title and select a city. Once you’ve received your results, you can filter them by when the job was posted or by experience level. One noteworthy feature allows you to filter your results based on jobs posted by companies where you have contacts or people in your network.”Find a job posting that interests you? “There’s nothing wrong with reaching out to someone at the organization,” says Ramirez. When you conduct the informational interview, keep Ramirez’s tips in mind:
- Be curious, not self-promoting. “This is not an opportunity to sell yourself. It’s an opportunity to gather information, and it looks much more professional if you focus on them.”
- Learn more about the position: “Are there attributes that they’re looking for here?”
- Learn more about the company: “Is the organization going through any major changes now?”
- Determine whether you’re a good fit.
Investigate Career Paths
Maybe there’s a company you’d love to work for, but you’re not sure how to get in the door. It’s time to play Sherlock. Use LinkedIn to investigate the career paths for employees at the company. Is there anything that inspires you? Your investigation could lead you to earn a certificate, engage in a volunteer experience, or take an internship that gets you closer to that dream job.
You can also ask for advice from professionals whose paths align with your goals. “Use social media to dig into a project they recently completed or read that interesting article that they just posted,” suggests this HubSpot article. That information can help you spark a conversation.
If you determine that your career path should include additional certifications or professional development opportunities, we’ve got your back. Contact us through our website or give us a call at 813-974-0950.
Still curious about how to use social media to further your career? Read our other posts on the topic:
