Social Media and Your Job Search

The popularity of various social media tools such as YouTube, MySpace, Facebook and Twitter has increased in recent years and is still a growing and trend. As a result, you can use these tools to your advantage and build your personal brand to attract potential employers. With the numerous social media outlets available, which ones are must-haves in establishing an online presence and networking with these potential employers? Here are four core social media tools everyone should use in their job search.

1. LinkedIn. LinkedIn is an extremely valuable resource for young and seasoned professionals. Not only can you post the contents of your résumé online, but you can network with people in a wide-range of industries. The first step is building your own network. But how do you do that? If you are a current student or recent graduate (or have been working for a while), you can send a request to network with a professors, academic advisors, friends or colleagues from internships or jobs. Once you establish your network base, you can research company profiles on LinkedIn and see if an employee has a LinkedIn friend in common with you (up to a 3rd degree connection). Use your LinkedIn network in your job search to connect with people in other networks.
   

   You can also join industry-specific LinkedIn groups (for example, Online Advertising Professionals). Make sure you join groups that suit your professional interests, as future employers may take these into account when hiring you. LinkedIn also has job listings which indicate if you have any possible connections with the company via your LinkedIn network. LinkedIn is a must-have for social media enthusiasts!

2. Facebook. Chances are you have a Facebook account if you are reading this. If you don't, get one. Facebook has less of a professional feel than LinkedIn, but if you use it correctly, it can work to your advantage. You can sync your blog or Twitter account in your status updates. A lot of businesses are creating groups and fan pages that enable followers to comment on news stories and remain up-to-date on the latest industry developments. You can also share some of these stories with others on your own Facebook profile.
   

   I have used Facebook to contact acquaintances who may know about possible job openings and joined career groups that regularly send job openings straight to your message inbox. Facebook may be a primary way to stay in touch with friends, but that doesn't mean you can't use it to help you land your dream job! Make sure you are careful about what you post since an employer may be looking at your Facebook account.
   

3. Twitter. Also known as a micro-blog (because you are essentially writing a blog post in 140 characters or less), Twitter has been around for a while but has become extremely popular social media tool in the past year. Twitter work similarly to an RSS (Really Simple Syndication) feed in that you can receive live updates from others if you are following them. It seems as if everyone is on Twitter nowadays, including celebrities, businesses and non-profit organizations. So how can you use Twitter in your job search?
   

   Because I am interested in marketing communications, I follow people on Twitter who are PR/marketing/advertising professionals. These people tend to offer valuable tips and insights on their industry and the job search process. It also helps keep me up-to-date on which companies are winning new business and who, unfortunately, had to lay-off workers. Some Twitter users even dedicate their accounts to posting jobs. As with Facebook, be careful what you post on Twitter.
   

4. Blogs. This is probably one of the most helpful tools in the job search process because it allows you to shine and may distinguish you from another candidate. Use a blog to attract potential employers and let them know you are serious and knowledgeable about the industry you are looking to break into. For example, if you are a Fine Arts major looking to work as a freelance art director, perhaps you want to start a blog with commentary on contemporary artwork. Some examples of blogging sites include BlogSpot (also known as Blogger) and WordPress.