5 Ways To Use Social Media To Land A Job
BOSTON (CBS) - Whether you are looking for a job or already have one, you often hear that you need to be marketing yourself on social media.
Your age doesn't matter.
Lataisha Handford was laid off from a job in customer service and says she sometimes uses Facebook to find leads. "I get some feedback, but not much."
Casually surfing Facebook isn't enough according to Art Papas, CEO and founder of Bullhorn Inc. in Boston, a firm which helps employers scan thousands of resumes quickly.
1. Use LinkedIn
LinkedIn is the place to start, said Papas.
"We have thousands of employers who are searching LinkedIn every day. It's important that you be discoverable."
Make sure to explore their "groups" section.
Papas showed us how you could find marketing professionals just in the Boston area.
"I can join an active discussion and chime in and opine about whatever it is that I am passionate about, and people will see that and corporate recruiters spend a lot of time inside groups looking for smart people who are talking about relevant topics."
2. LinkedIn Recommendations
Next, ask colleagues to write recommendations on LinkedIn. Papas believes these are a great way to get noticed by employers.
"Bullhorn's customers scan for people who are getting new recommendations. It's a sign somebody is actively looking for a new job without broadcasting it," added Papas.
LinkedIn will also tell you who has been checking out your profile.
"It's a fantastic feature," said Papas.
3. Use Twitter
Next, use Twitter to help find insight on companies that might interest you.
"If you go on and follow the CEO of a company or some of the executives of marketing, or VP's, you can see what is current and what is interesting to them," said Papas.
"It's a great way to get noticed. Everybody loves to be mentioned on Twitter, everybody loves to be mentioned in a conversation, and so if you are mentioning people they will notice you and maybe engage with you."
4. Keep It Clean
By now most people know when it comes to posts and pictures on Facebook, they should keep it clean.
But many people aren't aware of new options that allow you to enhance your work profile.
Papas said, "You can actually type in the names of people that you have worked with which is helpful for employers."
5. Enhance Professional Experience
Posts which enhance your professional experience should also be added.
"You want to post things that make you stand out as a professional, that show you are current, show that you are reading articles that are interesting," said Papas.
The real message from Papas is social media cannot be ignored.
"I work with 5,000 employers and 80% of them use social media almost exclusively, and that says to me that you can't avoid being on social media. You can't say I'm not going to do that, or you are really missing out."
WBZ-TV's Paula Ebben reports
The biggest mistake is playing what Papas refers to as "resume roulette."
This is responding to job openings blindly on the Internet and hoping something sticks.
He says employers are overwhelmed with these types of resumes, and the success rate is very low.
