Social media is all fun and games… until you’re trying to get a job. You’ve heard the social media don’ts:
Don’t post anything you don’t want a hiring manager to see
Don’t friend/connect/follow people you don’t know
Don’t talk about or have pictures containing drugs and/or alcohol
Don’t use poor grammar
Don’t use profanity
The list goes on & on. It’s an important list. But there are plenty of social media do’s to heed as well that will help you make a good impression. By paying your social media do’s you’ll be able to show employers another reason they should hire you. Your resume shows off your work ethic. Your social media shows how you’ll fit in with a company culture.
Do have a profile picture that shows off your smile. Even if you have privacy settings on Facebook, your profile picture will most likely still be visible. Make sure it makes the statement you want it to make.
Do have a complete profile on LinkedIn. Have a summary with something interesting about yourself (not necessarily career-related, just something that could catch a recruiter’s eye), up-to-date work experience, volunteer organizations… You aren’t restricted to one page on LinkedIn, so be sure to share it all. Interviewers will look at your profile on LinkedIn, so tell them something that isn’t already on your resume.
Do use your real name. Would you rather hire Sally Smith or Jane SweetLikeSugar Doe? They’re going to hire Sally.
Do follow companies that interest you. Follow them on Twitter and LinkedIn, and like them on Facebook. Learn something about the company that isn’t on the website. You will have more to talk about in an interview.
Do share your objectives with your followers. “My #resume is updated & I’m applying for #ElectricalEngineering positions,” and add a link to your resume. Maybe one of your followers is hiring, or maybe they can refer you to someone who is.
Do network. Try LinkedIn’s advanced search. You can search by company, title, keyword… LinkedIn makes it easy to find a person who has landed your dream job. Connect and ask them how they did it. Ask for a 10-minute informational interview so you can learn about the company or how they prepared for the job.
Do Keep Facebook “Friends Only.” If you don’t want potential employers to see all status updates, pictures, notes, relationships, and personal information, set your profile to private. Even if you set your privacy to “Friends of Friends” there is still a good chance they can see your profile.
Do search for yourself on Google. Follow the instructions here to turn off search personalization, so you can more accurately see what potential employers find when they search your name
