Networking

Social media is designed to facilitate networking. Professional platforms like LinkedIn provide job seekers, recruiters and companies the chance to interact and build relationships with people in their industry and community. Taking advantage of this opportunity to connect can tremendously increase your likelihood of getting hired.

To land a job using social media, start by connecting with current and former employers, coworkers, recruiters, peers and other industry thought leaders. This works in two ways. Not only does it expand your professional network, but it also assures future employers that you value your colleagues and connections. In addition to connecting with familiar faces, it is beneficial to join groups and follow influencers, news and companies of interest. All of these things can help you be found by recruiters or employers.

Making a Good First Impression

Social networking sites allow people to get their foot in the door before ever meeting in person. While this can be extremely helpful to facilitate first encounters, it can also hurt candidates if their profile poorly represents their character. According to Forbes, 37 percent of employers screen potential job candidates based on their social networks. This means a positive first impression on digital platforms is critical.

Ask yourself, friends, family or peers if your profile is appropriate or if it detracts from your character and professional abilities. Having inappropriate pictures on Facebook or comments bashing previous jobs and employers on Twitter will impact how potential employers view you.

Emphasizing Skills

Activity on social media should be purposeful and thoughtful. Be sure to implement social media best practices and avoid careless errors that can deter employers. Avoid things like spelling mistakes, poor grammar or offensive language, especially on a professional channel like LinkedIn. Your profile should act like a resume, portraying skills and interests in the field. If staffing services companies or employers discover your profile in a candidate search, what they see on your page will dictate whether or not they reach out to you with the position.

So next time you log on to your social media profiles, ask yourself: Are these platforms helping or hurting me in my job search? If they are hurting you, reconsider some of the practices you are using. When you are ready to start your job search, connect with TriMech Services on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter or reach out to our recruiters for constructive feedback to improve your profile.