Social media for candidates

In our increasingly connected world employers are using social media as a way of finding candidates and assessing them pre-interview. Social media can give you a considerable advantage in the marketplace by allowing you to showcase your skills, achievements and personality and if you use it wisely it can be an excellent way to engage with potential employers. 

When you are looking for a job a social media presence should be part of your strategy. In the first of our blog series on social media Lucy has some advice on the best social media platforms to help you in your job search.

LinkedIn

Professional networking site LinkedIn is the first port of call for most employers and we always recommend a candidate has an up to date profile there. You can use your profile to back up your CV’s claims through endorsements from others, to demonstrate your interests with connections to industry bodies and key influencers and to increase your visibility in the market by connecting with your favourite companies. Make sure all sections of your profile are completed and check in regularly to engage with the latest content and grow your network.

Facebook

Facebook can be useful because it is ubiquitous but can be difficult to separate the personal from the professional. If you are using Facebook make sure to make full use of its privacy settings and carefully control what you or others post on your page. Follow and like the pages of companies you are interested in and join local jobs groups.

Twitter

Twitter is often a good place to engage with employers. If you have a profile use it to follow companies you admire and their employees. Join industry networking groups. Retweet and share interesting content and understand how hashtags work as these can help you find opportunities quickly. Companies sometimes tweet their job opportunities before releasing them more widely so check in regularly for the best results.

Instagram and Pinterest

Although the visual social sites such as Instagram and Pinterest may not seem like obvious places to look for a job they can be surprisingly effective. Companies with a more creative focus are more likely to be using these sites so if you have an account you can use it to connect with employers you admire and to show off your own skills and interests.

Not just for employers

Remember that social media is a tool for you as well. You can learn much about a company and its culture from its social media channels, which is useful not only when preparing for interview but also when deciding which employers you want to approach.

Although we think social media is vital when looking for a job today, we also know that unwise posting can derail a job search spectacularly. Look out for our next blog, which will cover the potential pitfalls and how candidates can avoid them.

You can download a copy of this blog post here: