HOW SOCIAL MEDIA CAN HELP YOUR JOB SEARCH
If your social media account isn’t private, it’s visible to hiring managers and recruiters. Keep it professional.
Social media is a major component in today’s job search process. Whether you’re updating your Facebook status or re-tweeting an article from the New York Times, each interaction provides would-be employers with a glimpse of your personality (outside the confines of an professional resume!) We’ll discuss various ways to use social media to build connections, discover new job opportunities, and demonstrate your overall professionalism.
Tip #1: Build your Profile
Employers use social media to discover qualified potential employees as well as reference claims made by current applicants. Having a social media presence is one more way for you to market yourself. The first step is creating your online profile. Remember, if your social media account isn’t private, it’s visible to hiring managers and recruiters. Keep it professional. Here are helpful tips for each platform:
- Establish a professional image by using a career-appropriate photo and a headline.
- Follow organizations you are interested in and stay current on news, announcements and opportunities.
- Join groups relevant to your field and follow discussions and thought leaders to learn about current trends.
- Update your profile with posts related to your field and work so employers can see recent work experience.
- Create a Twitter handle using your name or a combination of your name and profession.
- Upload a photo that projects a professional image.
- Create a professional profile that highlights your skill set.
- Show knowledge and interest in your field by tweeting links to relevant articles or samples of your work.
- Follow organizations and lists and look for interesting Tweet Chats and online forums to join.
- Re-tweet, reply, and direct message to establish connections.
- Search and follow hashtags relevant to your industry and your search.
- Build your network by “liking” Facebook professional and alumni organizational pages, and request to join relevant groups.
- Start discussions with people and organizations by answering questions, commenting, messaging and linking to informative content through wall posts or status updates.
Tip #2: Do your Research
Social media can provide you with information and connections that are vital to your job search. You should certainly look at job boards, like NYFA Classifieds, but don’t stop there. Learn about the company’s culture, hiring process and review profiles of your interviewers. By engaging on various platforms – Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn – you can gain a full picture of the organization.
Tip #3: Build your Network
The bigger your online network, the more resources you can access to help you during your job search. Use digital networking to build relationships based on common interests and mutual connections. Here are some key ways you can grow your professional network:
- Invite everyone you know to join your LinkedIn network. Brainstorm your current contacts by categories: past employers, connections from college, professional groups, volunteer activities, etc.
- Join relevant alumni groups and industry groups on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter. (For example, NYFA has an active Art Jobs and Resources LinkedIn group!)
- Use Twitter and Facebook to identify and follow people at your target organization. Actively join online discussions and build your professional connections.
Tip #4: Share your Expertise
Social media is great place to get yourself noticed as a voice in your field. It can be used to increase visibility, reinforce credibility and showcase skills. By tweeting, blogging and commenting online, you begin to build your personal brand. Post diverse content that goes beyond self-promotion, such as insightful quotes, a question, interesting links, or even the latest book you’ve read. When an employer Googles your name, you want them to find a creative, tech-savvy and knowledgeable individual who can fit well into their organization.
When used effectively, social media can a valuable resource for your career search and development. NYFA invites all artists and cultural institutions to join #ArtistHotline, an Artist Professional Development Day on Twitter, every third Wednesday of the month starting July 15. Together we’ll call on artists to ask compelling questions, exchange useful resources, and establish a new exciting digital network.
Join the conversation and share your professional development questions using the hashtag: #ArtistHotline
Visit: http://bit.ly/JoinArtistHotline for further details and follow @nyfacurrent on Twitter for the latest updates.
– Glory Edim, Program Associate, Online Resources
Image: Joan Wallace & Geralyn Donohue (Fellows in Painting ‘88)
