Do you sit on your computer hours each day looking for a new job, only to feel mentally exhausted after generating zero leads? While you may be investing much of your job hunt on social media, chances are you have room for some major improvement. The key to effective social media networking is to work smarter, not harder! There are many simple, yet effective ways to maximize your use of social media throughout your job hunt. As you refine your online job search strategy, here are three updates you can make to your social media profiles:
Include a professional head shot.
If you’ve used social media to any extent, you know that social media sites are very visual platforms. When using sites like Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter to showcase yourself in front of employers, it’s imperative to have a professional head shot on all your profiles. Regardless of what type of job you’re striving to get, a head shot is instrumental to your professional image online and shows hiring managers you take your career and job hunt seriously. Furthermore, social media research continues to reveal that individuals with photos experience far more profile views and engagement, resulting in more followers and connection requests. Therefore, not having a photo at all will make you appear dormant on social media channels, resulting in less traction on your profile – and ultimately fewer job leads.
Evaluate your existing network.
With so much emphasis on expanding online networks, it’s easy to forget how valuable your existing network may be in your job hunt. Taking an inventory of all the contacts you’re currently connected to on social media is the first step to rebuilding relationships that could lead to new job opportunities. Making an effort to reach out to contacts who work in your industry or at a company that interests you can be very impactful for your search. If you’re unsure of where to begin, make a list of all your contacts and break them down by category, such as “friend,” “former colleague,” “alumni contact” and so on. Once you’ve developed your list, you’ll be able to identify which individuals may serve as potential leads for you moving forward.
Build your credibility with industry-specific content.
In addition to making connections, social media serves as the ideal channel to build your professional credibility. By posting high-quality content, such as relevant news articles about your industry, you’ll position yourself as an educated and qualified professional who’s informed about the latest trends and developments in your field. Better yet, consider producing your own content in the form of blog posts or self-published articles on LinkedIn. By offering insights based on your own knowledge and expertise, you’ll demonstrate a high level of expertise to your network.
Looking for a new position? Get your job hunt in gear with The Liberty Group by contacting our team today!
