how to use social networking to get a job

Networking is one of the key aspects to finding a job. In recent years, social media sites have become one of the best avenues to use when starting a job search. Three of the most common social media sites to utilize when networking for a job are LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook.

LinkedIn
LinkedIn is the social media site most used by employers when searching for job hunters and vice versa. To improve your chances of finding employment via LinkedIn, you need to make sure that your profile is complete with your work history, education, and credentials. Choose a professional headshot photo for your profile image and make sure your professional headline uses essential keywords that will bring recruiters to your profile. Once you have a completed profile, you can start building your connections. Use the search function to look for colleagues, former colleagues, or classmates. The more connections you have, the greater your chance to find employment. To really increase your odds of finding employment via LinkedIn, you need to interact or network with others on the site. LinkedIn Groups allow you to establish new business relationships with others by joining groups that share your interests, such as alumni, industry, hobbies, desired employer, etc. Members in these groups often share advice and leads on job searching. You should also strive to post intelligent and relevant material at least once a week in the update section of your profile's homepage. Keep in mind that the more active you are, the more visible you are to prospective employers.

LinkedIn also offers a job search app, LinkedIn Job Search, that allows you to search and apply for jobs on the social network. Everything you do within the standalone job search app is completely private and not shared with your network.

Twitter
Twitter is also an excellent online networking tool when searching for a job because it allows you to connect directly with hiring managers and companies of interest. When completing your Twitter profile, be sure to keep it professional. Use a nice headshot for your profile picture. Use the bio section to promote your work skills. In the website section, you should link to your professional blog or LinkedIn profile in order to give hiring managers more information about your credentials and work history. As mentioned previously, Twitter offers a convenient way to interact directly with hiring managers. Many recruiters post job opportunities via Twitter, so just follow the tweets of companies for which you would like to work and reply to tweets that catch your interest. Briefly express your interest in the job position and how you may be an asset to the company. Twitter has a character limit of 140, so you'll have to be concise in your replies and feedback. To stay abreast of topics or job opportunities related to your industry, consider using Tweetdeck. This tool allows you to search for a specific term, such as graphic design jobs, and you get notifications each time someone tweets on that topic.

Facebook
Facebook can help you find leads on potential job opportunities because many businesses and companies use the network to post about current job openings. Be sure to like and follow business pages of companies for which you would like to work and follow the posted directions for how to go about applying for the job(s). Let your Facebook friends know that you are looking for work by posting a message to your status update. Hopefully, you will get a few people to post about possible job opportunities available. You can also use the search feature on Facebook to find job leads. Type your industry into the search box and see what comes up. You will probably find many articles, career links, and even job postings related to your field.

When using social media sites to network and find employment opportunities, it's important to remember that almost everything you post becomes public. Don't post pictures or comments that will make you look bad in the eyes of a recruiter. Keep it professional!