Social media has taken our world by storm. Everything from Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, the art of blogging, Instagram, Vine, and Pinterest have changed the way we as a society interact with one another. At this point, social media is everywhere and, by the looks of it, it’s here to stay. So why not make the most of it?
At a staggering 17.1 per cent for youth between the ages of 16-24, the youth unemployment rate is higher than ever. Why? How can our unemployment rate be so high with ample resources at our fingertips, especially in this generation? Smartphones are the new flip phones and our world has demanded us to have some sort of data plan on our phones to be constantly in the know. We pretty much have all the tools for acquiring a good job. So what’s the problem?
This is where social media comes in. If you haven’t noticed because you’ve been too busy catching up on the latest Kanye rant, I suggest you listen up. I can say this with confidence and without doing research, every company worth working for has at least one social media page. If you don’t believe me, do your research. With that being said, if most people are on social media sites anyway, why not connect? And this is where I come in, SOCIAL MEDIA LESSON: 101.
So we’ve established that we are all on at least one social media site and, just a heads up, if you are not don’t bother reading this article. The key is to put yourself out there and be confident even on social media sites.
Although job sites such as Indeed.com, Simply Hired, Workopolis, Monster.ca, and Job Bank are super effective, social media sites are as well. They’ve become the “hidden” job board. We use these social media sites such as: Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and Vine to interact with our friends and maybe even make some new ones, so why not take it up a notch and make these social media sites work for you?
First off, if you’re going to have any social media site I would personally recommend you at least sign up for a LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook account. The particular reasons why I chose these specific social media sites is because they have not only proven to be the most effective and results-driven social media sites in the world, but employers, including start-up companies, are using these sites to post job ads.
LinkedIn is a very serious (in other words professional) social media site which I never really took seriously until this internship. It never dawned on me that employers really do Google search potential candidates regardless if you have an impeccable resume. So having a LinkedIn page with accurate work history, skills, education, and a professional photograph would be helpful. There is also a job search option embedded within the site where employers do post a lot of interesting jobs. The plus side to searching for a job on LinkedIn is that you don’t have to go through that tedious process of filling out an application because there’s a button that allows you to apply with your LinkedIn profile. Making connections and finding a mentor is another good use for this site as well. Take a chance and connect with a professional about possible job opportunities and/or even a possible mentorship opportunity. The key is putting yourself out there… don’t be shy!
Twitter is my personal favourite. I love the fact that Twitter is solely based on statuses. It’s a great way to be direct and simply say that you’re looking for a position and add in some hashtags. For those of you that don’t know what hashtags are, they are keywords that you can add to your statuses. The purpose of that would be that when people search a particular hashtag, it will appear in the results of that particular search. An example of a hashtag would be, “#jobsearch.” Remember: It’s not a hashtag if you don’t put the ‘number sign’ before the word. There is a search bar within the Twitter site that could be a great keyword search tool to see if an employer is trying to fill a position. Twitter is an amazing resource. First things first, when you create your profile start following your favourite companies, organizations, celebrities, news stations etc. Based on the people that you follow and your tweets, employers can get a rough sense of your personality, likes and possible dislikes. This could be a great way to have possible job opportunity come your way. The mentioning feature is also pretty cool as well. It allows you to publicly Tweet someone you follow. In this case, it would be a potential employer and you can directly ask them about possible job opportunities. A key note about Twitter is to be consistent. Since Twitter is all about statuses you want to constantly be tweeting, let the Twitter world know what is going on in your life.
Some other social media sites that I think are as effective for creating job opportunities and also to come across a job opportunity is Facebook and blogging. Facebook is still one of the most popular social media sites in the world that employers are checking as well. A word to the wise, make sure that your Facebook profile is professional at all times and there is nothing that you would embarrassed by the outside world seeing. Blogging is the same way, it adds an additional dimension to your online personality, but like everything else on these social media site, you want it to be professional. Keep content appropriate unless it aligns with your future career.
I hope my tips and words of advice have been helpful. I think the key to success with employment and anything in general is confidence. Put yourself out there, take chances and don’t be afraid to make mistakes. It’s all a learning process. Connect with these companies that you want to work for and do your research. Be an active job searcher and use the resources around you. Smartphones are not around just for their design.