The 2022 unemployment rate is around 6.7%, with more than 10.7 million people looking for a job. If you’re one of those people or plan on moving into a better position, you’ll want to ensure you have your social media properly set up to maximize your prospects. More and more employers look at social media in the hiring process. In fact, a Harris Poll conducted in 2020 found that 70% of employers feel it is important to screen a candidate’s social media profile prior to hiring.
Here’s what you need to know about the job market and your social media profile.
Getting Recruited Off Of Social Media
A recent survey released by Jobvite found that 92% of employers use or plan to use social media as part of their recruiting efforts. In fact, applicants don’t even need to provide recruiters with their social media profiles to have them checked out. Recruiters actively seek candidates’ profiles to get a glimpse into the applicant’s personality and attitude.
One of the most important profiles you can have is a well-crafted LinkedIn profile. Recruiters often start here to get a sense of a candidate’s background and work experience. Many recruiters are using LinkedIn to find new prospective candidates that meet their qualifications.
What is a well-crafted LinkedIn profile?
Upping Your LinkedIn Game
Your LinkedIn profile is like having a professional resume or cv online working for you every day of the year, all day long. The first thing your profile should have is a headshot. While you don’t need to pay for professional photos, you want the photo to be professional in nature. It should clearly show your face with a neutral background. This isn’t the same as what you would use on other social media platforms for friends and family.
Make the headline stand out by outlining what you are an expert in or the type of job you are seeking. It should exemplify what you do and what your ideal job is. Then use the summary to elaborate on this. The summary is your opportunity to express what makes you special and good at what you do.
Then get into your experience. Don’t just list the places you worked. Fill in key responsibilities and successes that you had. This is where you brag about what you’ve done, so make it as detailed as possible.
Your Facebook Profile Is a Public Persona – Be Cautious About Certain Types of Posts
While you may feel that a recruiter looking at your personal Facebook page is a little much, know that they are concerned about the company’s public image. If they were to hire you, you and your Facebook profile become something the public may see, and they want your profile to be a positive reflection of the company.
This means that you should keep Facebook posts positive and refrain from constant venting, especially about your previous or current work scenarios. Employers don’t want someone on the team who is always finding the negative to focus on. Ultimately, they don’t want complainers, but instead, they want someone who wants to be a team player and work towards a positive end goal. Some suggest limiting the amount of political or religious posting that you do, as employers don’t want your profile to draw them into a media conflict.
It can seem unfair that what you do outside of work is being scrutinized by potential employers. In many ways, it is unfair. After all, they can’t tell if you leave work and join a protest that they might find inappropriate, but social media is a footprint of your views, and this can come back to bite you if you are too active with controversial topics.
Upping Your Twitter Game
Like Facebook, many recruiters are using Twitter to post jobs and get a glimpse of the personality traits of potential candidates. And also, like Facebook, you want to avoid being too controversial on the platform.
When searching for a job via Twitter, make your profile more employer-friendly with a professional photo and short bio that lets employers see your interests. Remember that bios are only 160 characters, so it needs to be short and snappy to get recruiters’ attention. Make sure that your settings allow anyone to contact you so that you don’t miss an important conversation. Link out to your LinkedIn profile that should fill in all the details about your business experience.
Build a Twitter network. Follow companies that interest you and follow key people in the organization. This can help give you insights about jobs, company culture, and skills needed to work there. Make sure that you connect to people you’ve met over the years, including former business associates, university colleagues, and, of course, friends.
Search hashtags such as #nowhiring, #jobsearch, #salesjobs, etc., to look for opportunities in the niche you are seeking to work in. Remember that many large companies have separate accounts for business recruiting, so look for those to follow as well.
Getting the Most Out of Your Social Media When Job Hunting
When looking for a new job, it’s best to be very active on social media. Make sure that your headlines state that you are looking for a job and what you’re looking for. Post regularly – at least once a day on every channel – to help your profile remain active. This helps keep you relevant and will get more eyes on your profile.
Be prepared to respond to inquiries quickly. Use the smartphone apps of the social media platforms to see comments and queries quickly. Remember to check spelling when using a smartphone, as typos are easier to make on a phone than on a keyboard. Double-check before posting anything and replying to comments.
Share job opportunities with your network. You may find things that aren’t exactly what you’re looking for in your search. But sharing these can help your network grow and may open the right door for you elsewhere.
The key is to remain active and refrain from controversy.
From Social Media to the Interview
When your social media is working for you in the job hunt, you’ll likely get asked to interview for open positions. Keep in mind that your social media was the first impression that you made on the company. Follow through with consistency when you interview.
Show up looking similar to your professional photo. You don’t want to confuse those interviewing you with a whole new look. Eye contact is critical during the interview. It shows that you are confident and engaged in the conversation. If they ask you about your social media presence, be honest in your answer. Even the most innocent posts may be perceived in a way you didn’t anticipate. It can be helpful to find a way to spin certain posts.
For example, if you have a post that may they perceive as supporting a controversial subject, use this as a platform to tout your passion for the things you care about, and this passion extends to your work. Don’t get stuck trying to defend a position – remain neutral and get the conversation back on track with what a great employee you’ll make.
At the end of the day, a well-designed social media profile can help you land your dream job. It may take time, but it’s worth it when it works!
