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Whether you’re looking for a new job or you’re thinking of starting a business, social media is one of the most powerful tools you can use. It’s great for finding new jobs, expanding your network and telling the world about the exciting things you’ve been up to (which may, in turn, lead you to even more exciting things).
But there’s a lot to social media. For starters, there are so many platforms you can use, with each platform bringing its own set of pros, cons and challenges.
Keen to make a start? Here’s how to use social media to advance your career.
Search for jobs
Platforms like LinkedIn and Twitter are great for advancing your career. In fact, we recently published a guide with details on 5 ways using LinkedIn can boost your career. Using the search tools, you can easily connect with job recruiters and hiring managers while searching for roles that you’d be suited for.
But be sensible with your ‘Connect’ button. Don’t just blast out invitations to strangers as it won’t look good. Instead, seek legitimate connections (people you studied with or have met before) and always include a personal note. You can say that you’re looking to expand your network because you’re looking for new opportunities. The more people who know you’re looking for a job, the more chance you have of finding one.
Engage in discussions
If you spot a debate about something related to your expertise, consider getting involved. Or at least keep an eye on the updates. To find debates, make sure you’re following the companies and people you’re interested in. Search for relevant hashtags on Twitter and if you’re using Facebook, look out for industry-related groups.
Before taking part in online discussions and debates, do your research and make sure you know what you’re talking about. Be considerate of others and make sure that your comments are thoughtful and articulate. You could also share articles that you like and find interesting. If you enjoyed them, others will too. And they’ll be grateful for the person who directed them there. Which could open up all kinds of new discussions…
Build your brand
Brands rely heavily on social media, investing a lot of time, money and resources into perfecting their online personality. The more clicks, likes and comments, the better. But when it comes to building your own personal brand, the rules are a little different.
Naturally, you’ll be in charge of building and promoting your own personal brand (for now anyway). And you want to come across as both knowledgable and human. Try to post as regularly as you can and be consistent across your profiles. Instagram is a great platform for publishing images and videos demonstrating your skills and expertise. Engaging regularly in relevant discussions is another way to promote your know-how. Be helpful and informative and always remain professional. If you post relevant content from the heart, you’ll quickly build up trust and authority with your audience.
Google yourself
Did you know? 36% of employers have apparently turned down candidates because of what they’ve seen on their social media profiles. You know what that means—it’s time to stalk yourself to make sure there’s nothing out there you wouldn’t want others to see.
Firstly, check your privacy settings. If there are comments or photos from 10 years ago on your Twitter profile that you’d rather your manager didn’t see, hide them or delete. As well as reviewing your social media presence, run a search on Google.
That old blog that you started in your teens might want to be taken offline now…
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Now that you know how to use social media, why not follow TransferGo? We’re always posting about industry news, company updates and open positions. See you there!
