5 Ways to Leverage Social Media While Job Seeking

Written by Gerrit Salinas

Due to our current economy the job market has become extremely competitive. Listed below are some tips on how to utilize free online social media to give you an opportunity to stand out amongst the competition.

1. Networking: You may already be using LinkedIn, which is an excellent resource, but are you using Twitter or Facebook? Although these networks are often viewed as non-professional websites they can be powerful ways to differentiate yourself as a subject matter expert.
   • LinkedIn connects professionals with people in similar fields of work. Capitalize on the readily available tools they provide such as professional recommendations, job boards, and trade specific groups.
   • Twitter has quickly become a leading force in job ad distribution. Additionally, it is a wonderful way to share your expertise with a wide audience.
   • Facebook is probably the best option for viral distribution. Due to the shear size of its network and active user base you can quickly establish yourself as knowledge resource. Facebook makes it easy to redistribute your information into LinkedIn and Twitter as well. This will be a time saver for anyone looking to communicate on all three spectrums. Not only does Facebook make it easy to share information but it helps you network with professionals in your field.
2. Publishing: Social media publishing has exploded over the past decade. Blogging has become an accepted news or information distribution vehicle. Blogs are a great way to showcase your skills, experience, and industry knowledge. Create a video resume and post it on Youtube, Facebook, Twitter, and your blog. Can you think of a better tool for potential employers to use than a video representation of your resume?
3. Commenting: Get noticed by joining an online conversation or commenting on industry related news. You can comment on blogs, news publications, groups, forums, Facebook, Twitter, and many more unique distribution centers. By communicating publicly online you are helping future employers have a better understanding of you as an individual.
4. Sharing: The things you enjoy says as much about you as the things you create. Delicious is a social bookmarking platform that allows you to share websites you enjoy. Bookmarks can help you build a reputation by demonstrating articles or content that is helpful to you in your specific field. Facebook allows sharing, by posting articles to your wall or other peoples walls. Twitter encourages sharing, they make it easy to share links to a wide audience. Social media sites such as Digg or StumbleUpon are voting sites, allowing users to vote for contant they enjoy.
5. Information: Social media can help you learn about companies you are targeting. Follow their Tweet’s or Facebook Fan pages. Get connected to them on LinkedIn and Facebook to show interest in their organization. By following potential employers on Facebook you can learn about their personal interests and possibly find common interests to discuss during an interview.

Social media gives job seekers the ability to share their interests, work related credibility, and subject matter expertise. Sharing helps build relationships. These simple tasks can help you stand out against the competitive field of job seeker’s.