Social media has so much more to offer than just mindless scrolling - if you play your cards right, you can be a few clicks away from finding your dream job.
With such a competitive job market, you have to get more and more creative to get noticed. You're very close to securing your dream job if you are ready to spice up your online presence and improve what you post. It’s whether LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or TikTok, you can find your next job through social media.
Read on now for tips on how to properly use your social networks for your job search.
Post your resume or portfolio on multiple sites
To use your social media accounts effectively in your job search, the first step should be to create a customised blog, a portfolio website or social media page to showcase your work.
For example, if you want to become a journalist, you can simply create a website or blog to showcase your articles. This is the ideal way to market yourself online, and you can easily create a simple website in less than 20 minutes. Or you can take it a step further by offering something fancy like a YouTube video or an online infographic about your experiences and interests.
By creating an online portfolio, you can quickly direct potential employers to your best work and impress them with your skills. You can then share it on your social media pages and maybe even pin it to the top of Facebook and Twitter to draw attention to your work.
Check on LinkedIn or Twitter
If you're not already, we highly recommend regularly checking for jobs on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter, as well as job boards.
On Twitter, you can search for specific hashtags like #nowhiring and #graduatejobs to see posts that link directly to job postings. You can also search for industries tailored to your chosen industry, such as #engineeringjobs or #mediacareers.
Join groups on Facebook or LinkedIn for specific fields
There's no point in keeping all your great ideas to yourself. On LinkedIn and Facebook, you can join groups or pages related to your professional interests, and some of these groups will even post job openings or contact you directly when you do. There are many groups specific to your native language community, you can find jobs for German speakers, Dutch speakers or French speakers in Barcelona way easier this way.
Also, try using hashtags on Twitter to find relevant discussions and increase engagement with your social media posts. This way, your posts will be more easily found by recruiters and can also earn you some influential followers.
Follow related hashtags and keep an eye on Ads on Instagram and TikTok
Who says that you can’t find your dream job on Instagram or TikTok? Literally, no one.
These platforms started to become the main sources for recruiters thanks to the high visibility and engagement they provide on posts and paid ads. We are also hiring regularly on Instagram and TikTok and with a funnier and direct approach!
All you need to do is follow related hashtags to your job search and engage with the ads so you broaden your exposure to the right opportunities.
Engage in debates and discussions on social media
Following and liking posts from companies, job search experts, and people in general that you want to impress is a given. But very rarely will this result in them reaching out to you with an opportunity (although this does happen occasionally).
There are always a lot of interesting discussions happening on social media about all industries. Even if you want to get into a pretty niche area, like preserving 1920s lawnmowers, there's probably something for you.
Keep an eye on debates by setting Google alerts on important topics, searching hashtags on Twitter, and looking for industry-relevant groups on Facebook and LinkedIn.
Engaging in these debates and doing your research to make sure you know your stuff is a surefire way to impress. Make sure your comments are well-articulated, thoughtful, considerate of others (rudeness will never get you anywhere) and written in perfect German, Dutch or French depending on your native tongue.
Posting relevant articles you find interesting and keeping up with developments and challenges in your industry is also great preparation for upcoming job interviews.
When your followers and reputation start to grow online, who wouldn't want to hire you?
Show your personality online
Developing as an online brand doesn't mean you become so self-conscious that you lose all sense of humour and personality, though, don't worry!
Keep it professional, but also try to show that you're an interesting person that people would enjoy spending time within the office! Recruiters at staffing agencies are looking for someone who is not only competent but also personable and well-rounded. Read here how you can best get a job through a recruitment agency.
When presenting your professional self online, focus on LinkedIn, and then you're more likely to be able to show off a bit more about your life outside of work (and still keep it clean) on other channels like Twitter and Instagram.
Let your contacts know you're looking for a job
It's a good idea to let people in your network know that you're job hunting. It's even better to let them know what kind of job you're looking for. Whether you use Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn, tell people you're looking for a job. As long as your online presence is strong, trust your network to remember you when they see an opportunity you might be interested in.
If you keep them in the loop, they'll keep tabs on you and let you know as soon as they hear about a new job opening. The job information you get from your contacts can really boost your job search.
Connect with potential employers
If you manage to build a good discussion with someone online, try to take it offline as well to make a lasting impression. Social media updates happen so quickly that you can quickly forget about someone who impressed you. It's always a good idea to meet for coffee to discuss some ideas.
When you email them to invite them to coffee, avoid vague clichéd phrases and rather lead with, "I have an idea for XYZ that I'd like to talk to you about." This makes you sound professional and shows that, in exchange for their time, you have something to offer them as well.
Maybe the contact will lead to a job opportunity or the contact will recommend you. That's how quickly you can find yourself in a job interview from one day to the next. To prepare yourself for this learn more about making a killer impression in a job interview, as you are now one step closer to getting to that point.
Keep your social media profile up to date
To get the most out of social media in your job search, it's important to keep each of your profiles up to date. Check that your contact information and descriptions are accurate, and make sure that any public posts (including those that date back a few years) reflect your current professional self.
If you follow these tips, you'll land a new job pretty soon! And if not, check out our current job listings here. Or write to us and we'll help you find a job that's a perfect fit for you.
