It seems like every day some so-and-so you graduated high school or college with is landing their dream job as a partner at some big insurance company or software support analyst on Wall Street. While here you are, stuck in a post-grad purgatory filled with anxiety that you might end up living in your parents’ basement.
If you’re not getting feedback from the companies you applied to, it’s time to rethink your application strategy. Job seeking ain’t what it used to be. Gone are the days of sending out resumes, waiting by the phone to hear back, and going to interviews. Studies indicate that
92% of recruiters use social media to find new employees. If you have a Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn profile, you’re already one step ahead. However, you’ll want to work on your online image, or personal brand.
Act your age!
Be careful about who you pretend to be online, because you ARE who you pretend to be online. “Beer pong Olympics” was hilarious when you were 18, but it comes across as futile when you’re 25. Offensive pictures can hurt your chances of employment, especially if you’re looking for a managerial position. It’s time to clean up your act! Polishing your online image means digging up and deleting those pictures from frosh week, angry Facebook rants, and vulgar Tweets.
Be yourself!
You want it to appear like you’ve got your stuff together, but you also want to come across as a real person – not just a candidate for a job. Each social network is different, and you can use that to your advantage. It’s normal to look more professional on your LinkedIn profile than on your Facebook, so don’t be afraid to show that you can wear many hats – just keep it consistent! Contradicting yourself is setting yourself up for rejection.
Be easy to find!
Job recruiters will be looking at all of your profiles whether you like it or not, so throw them a bone. Use your real name and an updated photo of yourself. If you have a personal website, blog, or an online project you’re working on, make sure they’re linked to your social media profiles. It’s also important to delete any half-created social media accounts too, or else you run the risk of looking like you won’t commit to projects.
Closing
Social media is a helpful tool for employment. New social media platforms for job seekers are popping up every day, such as
beBee, so it’s important to keep an eye out. This stuff works, and it’s a lot more fun than uploading a resume to a job board. Don’t overthink it! Connect with like-minded individuals! Sometimes all it takes is the right person to see a tweet or YouTube video for you to land that dream job.