Before you begin your job search, there is one thing you have to know—employers Google. If you don’t have a presence online no one will think twice about you. It sounds harsh, but the whole purpose of establishing yourself online is to build credibility and prove yourself as a reputable option. As a candidate, you want to make sure that you present yourself on the web in the best possible light.
As a candidate, you’ll want to brand yourself as someone a company would want to hire. Be as present in the social media space as you can be, and that includes joining all the major platforms out there. Each platform has a different purpose, so it’s good to be mindful of how you use them. However, it’s beneficial to stay professional across the board. We all know that Facebook is more for personal use, but don’t forget that companies will check your Facebook before hiring (if they can get access to it). You’ll want to remove anything that could convince a potential employer that you’re not a good candidate. Keep in mind that profile pictures are no longer private under most Facebook privacy settings.
LinkedIn is a job seeker’s best friend in the virtual space. Join groups relating to your job search and seek out people with job titles similar to what you’re working toward. Building a network isn’t the same anymore; the access we now have to connections in the digital space is so vast and right at our fingertips.
If you’re a company, one of the most important things to do—some even believe it’s what can make or break your business—is build a social media presence. Having a company website isn’t sufficient enough these days; it’s all about how you present yourself beyond the domain name. As a business, you want to attract the kind of employees that will help shape your brand. If you’re looking for fun, hardworking candidates, you need to find ways to appeal to these personas. Something as simple as posting a quote-of-the-day on twitter can boost your social media presence. In addition to putting yourself out in the social media world, as a business, it’s best to stay active. Frequent posting is beneficial in order to sustain followers and bring in new ones.
A social media presence in this day and age isn’t a compromise anymore. If you want to get ahead and get connected, the most viable solution is social media. For more tips on how to establish yourself on social media, check out this video.
