Indeed, it can be a frustrating thing looking for your first job after leaving the college or university. This may be as a result of the limited list of contacts with you or the few available openings that can be found in our country today.
A family friend, a couple of years back. During his first year after youth service lamented out of frustration that only the connected ones in this nation can secure a good job within the period of two years after graduation.
Anyway, he may be right. Just that he may also be missing out on one thing.
That is utilizing to his advantage, that common ground which is available to both the average people and the wealthy ones. That’s the social media on Internet.
Of course, the social media can tremendously help you in the hunt for your first job?
It’s a useful tool readily available at your disposal. Just that many of our young graduates fail to realize that the web has more to offer them than the normal tip-tap chats they use it for.
Am not talking about LinkedIn here, though that network is extremely important for your professional success too. LinkedIn is a tool that every graduate is aware of, and it’s a pretty straight forward concept __ you build a perfect profile, you start making contacts, and you apply for jobs using the online resume.
In this article, I will focus on how to use other social media to make career prospects.
1. Do a revisit to your profiles
Before we proceed any further, I think I should tell you that it’s time for you to start retouching all your online profiles and polish them well. You need to remove compromising contents from your profiles.
All those crazy night out pictures should be hid away from the eye of the public. Make them private as much as possible, that’s if you can’t remove them completely.
Tone up your tweets and status updates. But mind you, profiles should not be blank either. They need to reflect your interest and competence. Share your smart articles with your comment on them.
Write about things related to the industry you are about to become part of.
Think about it this way; If a potential employer lands on your profile, what do you want them to see?
2. Spread the News
There is certainly nothing bad in sharing Facebook status update or tweet that shows you are in search for job. It’s never something you should hide your face behind your palms for. You just got your degree and you are ready to put it to good use. that’s all.
But think of a good update that won’t show you are just too desperate.
Simply put up a nice one and tell your friends to share the status/tweet and recommend you to people that they know.
Trust me, this is an effective way to get noticed.
3. Write a Tumblr blog!
You still don’t have a job, so “I don’t have time to blog” is not an excuse. If you want recruiters to notice you, you need to look like an expert – someone who’s committed to their niche and knows more than most.
Explore some interesting topics you can’t easily see within the community of bloggers. Make connections with influencers and write guest posts to expand your network. Sooner or later, the right people will notice you.
Don’t forget to promote the most important posts you write through your Facebook, Google+, and Twitter profiles. You should also start a specific Facebook page for your blog. You can use it to communicate with your audience and get ideas for new posts. Needless to say, you can also use your blog to write about your job hunting journey. However, it’s important not to appear desperate. Write a fun, engaging post and ask your readers for tips that would help you land a job.
4. Don’t forget Google+
Google+ is an extremely important network, but most people forget about it. It’s not as fun to use as Twitter and Facebook, so it’s easy to leave your profile unattended. What’s the first thing a potential employer sees when he uses Google to search your name? They will first be interested in your LinkedIn page, and then they will check out your Google+ profile. That’s why you need to use it!
Share links to useful content related to your degree, and use the network to promote your blog posts. Don’t forget to respond to comments!
5. Develop your network of connections
Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram are mostly intended for building virtual friendships, but you shouldn’t ignore their professional networking potential. Discover the brands you would like to become part of. Follow their pages and try to understand their culture. If there is any open position in these companies, they will probably share the news via social media. Due to the fact that you’ve followed their updates and you’ve explored their recent campaigns, you will show how well you would fit in the company’s culture.
Don’t limit your search to brands; you can add professional contacts, too! For example, let’s say you discover a potential hiring manager on Twitter. You can’t just follow them and then start tagging them in tweets to promote yourself. That would be rude. Here is an idea: you can retweet some of their tweets – that should get them to follow you back. Then, try to develop a spontaneous connection by commenting on some of their tweets without being too obvious.
Conclusion
Are you ready to reveal the full potential of social media? With the right approach, you’ll start making connections with the right people in no time. From that point on, it will be up to you. You have to make good impressions with your online presence!
this is a guest post by Maria; a writer, educator, and social media expert.
source: study and scholarships
Be the first to comment
You must log in to post a comment.