The role of social media in today’s life needs no debate. The human race has shifted from ‘physical presence’ to ‘online presence’. Technology has been developing rapidly and social media has received the most significant boost due to this development. Based on this development various online social media platforms like Facebook, LinkedIn, Google Plus, Twitter, etc., took shape in the last decade.
No doubt, online job portals have replaced newspaper job advertisements; but the latest trend now is the recruitment through social platforms. LinkedIn has been conceived to nurture professional relationships. Nowadays recruiters are selecting the right candidates using Facebook and Twitter also. Candidates who are sharp enough can cut through the corporate world and jump-start their careers through prudent use of social media.
Maintain a Personal Brand:
Gone are the days when recruiters relied on references while selecting their candidates. Facebook is the new trend now. The recruiters are smart enough to realize that LinkedIn profiles are made for corporate display. They are more interested in the personal life of their prospective employees. This makes it important to be wise and maintain a personal brand on all social media platforms. One should always be careful with the choice of words and photographs uploaded on these sites. Otherwise, a fat package might be slipping out of your hands without your knowledge.
Keep Updated:
Youngsters looking for an impulse to their career should use the social platforms tactfully. Facebook can be effectively used to know up-to-date information of your interested companies by liking their Facebook pages. Many companies also post their job openings here. It is the same case with Twitter and LinkedIn. On Twitter, you can even follow several industry leaders of your choice to grasp their ideas and thought processes.
Build Your Profile:
Social profiles must be kept updated at all times with respect to the experience, current organization and areas of interest. Even personal interests like hobbies and the pages you like or follow should reflect the image that you want to project to prospective employers. It is a good idea to have recommendations on your profile whether professional or personal.
Generate Valuable Contacts:
Social media is the space where unlimited valuable contacts can be generated. Here, you can get in touch with various recruiters, placement agencies and employees of various companies. In fact, many recruiters will approach you, if you are able to stand out. A person can be judged well by his friends circle and contacts he has. Therefore, you should ensure that you distance away from the people who can tarnish your image.
Be Participative:
It is a good idea to be cautious and active on social media. Discuss and debate with other like-minded persons, share and tweet on various topics of your personal and career interests. Try to demonstrate how you can take a stand. A prospective employer might just notice it. You can also join various groups and discussion forums and enhance your knowledge of the subject or industry.
Create Blogs:
Blogging is another excellent way of making a strong impression. Maintain a blog related to your career and field of interest. This blog can be linked to your social networking profiles. These blogs will attract like-minded persons who will participate, discuss and share your posts. This is an excellent way of displaying your subject knowledge and be noticed by the recruiters.
Social media has a wide and ever increasing scope, when it comes to propelling your career. There are going to be new resources and tactics to be noticed in this field. The idea is to keep using and creating innovative methods that will help you to leap ahead in your career.