A guide to using social media to your advantage when job hunting

Job hunting is an arduous process that ranks pretty low on the list of things people love to do with their spare time. The one thing I can think of that I enjoy less is waiting in line at the DMV.

It’s important to know how to utilize the digital tools we have at our disposal. Luckily, for people looking for work nowadays, companies everywhere are “very online.” It is more likely than not the company you’d like to get a foot in the door at has a social media presence.

We’ve created a guide on how to strategically interact with the company of your dreams through social media channels, below.

Connect with industry leaders on LinkedIn

One important step to take when job hunting is to find the thought leaders in that industry on LinkedIn. The leaders of the companies you are interested in joining often post relevant articles related to changes happening in the company, what direction they are moving towards, and what kind of people they are looking for to help them complete their vision.

Employers and the employees working at the company will often post about what company culture is like. This is important information to gather to see whether or not you’d be an ideal fit at this company.

You also have the ability to comment on any articles they post related to the company to gain more visibility in the field. Another great feature on LinkedIn is the industry-specific groups to connect with other professionals passionate about the same things you are passionate about. This is a great way to make initial contact. After offering helpful feedback on the topics they post about will make you more memorable when you message them directly on LinkedIn. Instead of merely sending someone an invite on LinkedIn that sends a default, generic message go to their profile to send a direct message that has a more personalized message.

Once the industry leader connects with you by messaging you back on LinkedIn this is a great opportunity to exchange numbers and email correspondence. The most important thing about learning to use social media to your advantage is through nurturing genuine professional relationships for the future. Now that you have someone valuable on the inside they can pass along industry tips, job openings, and other valuable connections in the field.

Staying up to date on your LinkedIn is also important because of the following statistics.

“As many as 68% of recruiters said job seekers need a LinkedIn profile in 2021, and 65% of hiring managers said that they don’t mind being contacted by potential candidates on LinkedIn.”

Engage with people on Twitter

Twitter is a great social media tool that can connect you to just about anyone in any field. While actively job searching career experts recommend focusing less on your personal accomplishments and more time spent sharing articles of interest in your field, starting a commentary on newsworthy topics in your industry, and starting conversation threads with other thought leaders. This will help you build your brand on Twitter and people will start to connect with you once you prove you’re a valuable, worthwhile voice in your field.

Feel free to show off a little bit of personality on your Twitter feed. Most hiring managers will do a google search with your name before the interview and your social media accounts will come up. Show them what a fun, enjoyable presence you would be if you shared an office together by sharing pleasant anecdotes, wholesome pictures of family and friends, and hobbies you enjoy!

You can also use hashtags on Twitter to search for jobs. Many companies are casting a wider net on digital platforms by tweeting out job applications with related hashtags. For example, Teen Vogue might tweet out “looking for a new editor in chief #writing #job #hiring #digitalmedia.”

Basically, all you need to do is type hashtags like #hiring #jobopenings #remotework and other hashtags related to the field you want to work into Twitter’s search bar. This should generate a slew of openings in your desired field.

Like and follow companies on Facebook

When you “like” a company or business on Facebook they send you notifications when any updates happen. This can be useful to you because they usually post job openings this way. Receiving daily updates about what is going on at the company you love could also give you some great talking points if you land an interview with them. This proves that you’re vested in how the company is doing and how you can add to their continued success.

Best of luck in your job search!