Social media is used by people from all walks of life in various industries, for a multitude of reasons. What is less known about social media is that now it is becoming increasingly important as a medium for job searching, an essential tool for both recruiters and employees. This rise in popularity is completely changing the job searching and recruitment landscape and gives even more importance to how one portrays themselves and their personal brand on social media.
The job market is no longer bound by word of mouth or nepotism. Social media has enabled recruiters to search beyond their own circles. Yes, this has increased competition, but it has also brought opportunities to qualified individuals beyond their own realm, making it even more important to consider the messaging, photographs, and how a person portrays herself in online media.
According to a 2018 CareerBuilder survey, 70% of employers use social media to screen candidates during the hiring process, and about 43% of employers use social media to check on current employees. A recent Business News Daily article explains that employers are not using social media to find reasons to not hire a potential employee, but rather to learn more about prospects and their personalities. Therefore, it is important that on social media, a candidate’s public persona steers clear of divisive or controversial subject matter.
Here are a few social media tools that may be reviewed in an employers’ search and should be considered when looking at one’s personal brand and portrayal on social media platforms.
LinkedIn is the most obvious social media site where professionals can interact and network with one another, and with potential employers. It provides users with a way to promote themselves by providing relevant information about their experience, education, skills, training and knowledge. It also offers opportunities to connect with potential customers or clients. This allows job seekers to build a profile, by providing information about their educational background, skills and job experience, as well as relevant information that will help them to meet potential clients. This has flipped the script, enabling employers to come to them. Job listings on LinkedIn are highly trafficked for job searching, offering superb and advanced searching capabilities and algorithms to help match prospective employees with opportunities ideal for them, all completely free of cost.
Blogs are one of the most common areas of social media that people can use extensively to enhance and build a personal brand. Articles created by those who aren’t professional reporters, called blogs, allow users to publish, review, share or comment on a specific topic which can center around the job search. A blog can have several features, including comments and news feeds, creating an interactive platform. It can also be used to attract customers, generate traffic and leads for an organization, or to highlight one’s own skills and abilities, assisting in showcasing one’s work to prospective employers. One way to publicize these blogs, such as the one you are reading right now, is via social media.
Twitter and Facebook are two of the most popular social media sites and have grown rapidly in popularity as sites used for job hunting recruitment. They enable people to keep in touch with each other and connect with their friends and colleagues through the use of profiles and personal photographs, as well as short messages. These days, it is not uncommon for companies to search for and hire new employees entirely virtually, especially in the age of working from home due to COVID-19, often relying on the prospective employee’s social media presence to represent them when an in-person meeting isn’t possible.
With social media websites being widely used for work at home opportunities, it is no surprise that in an increasingly virtual world, they are now gaining more popularity for recruiters and employers seeking new employees. With a wide variety of available jobs on social media sites, it is possible to find positions for people that are looking for work at home jobs and provide an avenue for job seekers to interact with potential employers and current colleagues.
