Today’s guest post is by Shama Hyder, president of Web marketing firm Click to Client.
OK, so you’ve heard that social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn can be great resources to tap into as part of your job search, as millions of people — and companies — are accessing them daily. However, if you’re like lots of people who have little or no experience using them, it can feel a little overwhelming and you may have difficulty knowing where to begin.
Here are three practical tips for getting the most out of social media tools during your job search.
- Start with a purposeful profile. There are two big mistakes job seekers make when they use social media: They are either too aggressive or too passive. They may network online mainly to test the waters, but there is no strategy involved. When you see their profiles on Facebook or LinkedIn, they represent a rainbow of interests and aims with no focus. When you are looking for a job, create your profile with a future employer in mind. Only list interests that support or underscore your purpose. Allow a future employer to form a quick overall impression of you.
- Listen up! Looking for a job means actively listening for opportunities. You can set up online alerts that will allow you to see which employers might be looking to hire — and what they are looking for.
- Google Alerts. Google Alerts are updates based on timely Google results. You can choose the keywords you receive alerts for.
- Blog searches. You can search on what is being said by bloggers that is relevant to your field. Many smaller companies have blogs that they use to announce new job openings.
- Twitter Searches. People are tweeting more than they are blogging. You can also leverage this popular social networking site to monitor the conversation.
- Play up your BOD. Before you jump into the social media world, make sure you have a clear understanding of why an employer would hire you. BOD stands for brand, outcome, and differentiator.
- Brand. Can your personal brand be summed up by one word or phrase? In a competitive marketplace, this is vital.
- Outcome. What is the one clear benefit of hiring you?
- Differentiator. What makes you different from your colleagues? What makes you stand out from the pack?
Image credit, jhorrocks, via iStock