Social media is one of the strongest platforms used by jobseekers and businesses alike. Individuals seeking employment as well as companies needing qualified workers benefit from Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and other social sites. With the growing interest in social media, more and more individuals conveniently search for jobs using mobile and other electronic devices. However, it can be daunting to examine numerous job posts from various social accounts on a daily basis. The good news is jobseekers can narrow work options and get positive results by implementing a few strategies on social sites.
TIPS TO GETTING POSITIVE RESULTS ON SOCIAL MEDIA JOB SEARCHES:
1. Use hatchtags (#) and keywords when conducting job searches. Keywords are often used to draw in candidates with occupational skills suitable for the job opening. When seeking employment on social media include your occupation (e.g. Administrative Assistance) and location of work preference (Miami, West Palm Beach, Boca, etc.). You can also search for work schedule preferences such as part-time, fulltime, temp-to-perm, and seasonal. Precise hatchtags are useful when seeking work specialties. Examples include #cardiacnurse, #pharmacists, and #automechanic. General hatchtags are also worth exploring as many posts are geared to attract a large social media audience. Examples include #jobseekers, #jobs, and #hiring.
2. Explore different job searches. One job search can include the keywords “fulltime hairstylist”, while another search includes “hiring pharmacist Miami”. Introduce various keywords that align with your career options and desired work environment.
3. Review the date on social media posts. Established social accounts have numerous followers, and posts can be shared between followers rather quickly. A job that was available in the morning may no longer have an opening in the later afternoon. It doesn’t hurt to contact the company for more information, but do keep in mind jobs may become unavaibale rather quickly.
4. Reach out to human resources or staffing personnel. Depending on the company’s social media manager, comments and messages left by jobseekers on social sites may not be retrieved instantaneously. It’s best to contact the human resources department directly for specifics on job openings.
5. Have a notebook or note-taking app handy. List available job openings in order of preference. Highlight jobs you contacted, and include information of the human resource personnel for follow-up if needed. Keeping organized decreases confusion and increases productivity, as many companies post the same job openings in various social sites.
6. Stay proactive. Social media sites are very active and the information spreads very quickly. If there is a job opening that resonates with your skills and qualifications be sure to respond in a timely fashion.
