Thinking about looking for a new job? Why not use your social networks in your job search?
Social is the new way in the field of job search and recruitment. It provides a great way for people to connect and network easily. A successful job search is also based on the same principle- meeting of candidates and companies who match each other in what they have to offer each other. With the pervasiveness of social media, and most people, organizations having social media profiles, it is important for potential candidates such as yourselves to utilize the power of social networking to the fullest.
Why employers prefer social networking?
Social networking is also important from the employers’ point of view. As per research, greater than 90% of employers are using social media for hiring. They are using the social media profiles of candidates as selection factors in their recruitment efforts. Therefore, it becomes more important for the candidates themselves to brush up their social media and network.
Why candidates should use the power of social!
Social networking provides numerous opportunities as compared to traditional employment methods. Your social networking profile links you up to hundreds of people (through your friends and beyond). Depending on the scale of your social networking, you can build a great contact list, through which you can keep yourself informed of new opportunities on the horizon. Your friends would post or share opportunities through their friends, and thus you can really get a lot of happening information at your fingertips. Social networking helps students and future job-seekers at all levels.
The reality is that most job openings in real is found through word-of-mouth. In these social media times, it is now being complemented by social networking. If you have a strong network and you have friends who have confidence in you and your abilities, you can easily get them to recommend you for a post. They can also share information about openings in their organization. A good and growing social network would allow you to get to know about new and existing opportunities. There are groups related to fields of interest, where you search through ads posted by other people.
How does social networking help candidates?
Social networks provide an easy way of getting to know about employment opportunities and trends in your field of interest. By following experts, you can keep yourself informed of the things you need to do that can help you climb up the ladder or position yourself for exciting openings. For example, by liaising and interacting with such experts you can get an idea of the requirements and expectations of potential employers.
As a genuine candidate, looking for reliable, quality and trustworthy employers, you can also use social network profiles to get an idea about the companies, their values, their activities, how they treat their customers and what are the feedback of customers and clients about them; you can get to know of strategic plans and determine if this is the kind of work that you can fit in and do your best. Many companies also provide the links to their social media profiles in their career page; you can contact them through social media for employment opportunities. You can also get to know about companies by connecting with their current and former employees also through social networks.
Social networking is also very important with regard to your reputation as a potential candidate for companies. Most companies now do go through their applicants’ social profile where possible. How you present yourself to the world, the attitudes you show, the style of communication, the kind of matter you post, may significantly influence how a potential recruiter views you. So manage your social media profile carefully. Refrain from what can be considered to be as “negative behaviour” which will lower your suitability chances. On the positive side, an active and engaging social media profile shows that you are not afraid of visibility or of communicating with diverse variety of people; shows that you take an interest in the world around you and keep yourself updated on events; you show that you are skilled at communicating appropriately on a public forum; it gives you a high visibility.
Experts also say that it is not just important to be seen on social media, it is important to develop a social media strategy which will help you leverage the power of the medium effectively. Because recruiters may use the social media profiles to get an idea of your character and your personality, it is better to use strategies which will help you project a positive yet convincing image of yourself.
Author bio:
Sally is a motivated academic advisor and an excellent communicator, currently associated with assignment writing service assisting students in the development of an educational plan and academic process.
