How To Boost Chances Of Getting Hired Using Social Media

Struggling to find a role on job portals? Have you considered leveraging your social media profiles to score a job?  

Let us take the example of a young, hardworking & dedicated Susan who finds herself in turmoil when she is left without a job, & does not know how to go about looking for another one.  

She uses conventional modes such as sifting through dozens of advertisements in newspapers & scrolling endlessly through job portals to look for opportunities. Alas, she cannot find the right fit. What should she do next?   

The simple answer to this problem could be using social media in selection and recruitment. Social media recruitment means creating one's profile on different social media platforms & finding multiple opportunities to apply for!  

Since employers widely use social media to find out more about you, how does turning that to your benefit sound? 

It sounds bizarre but social media has become a crucial tool for job hunting & advancing in your career. You can go beyond posting pictures on these platforms & leverage your network & connections to land your dream job.  

What is social recruiting & why should you leverage social media platforms to land a job? 

While most companies go through your social media handles intending to verify your experience & background information, employers also find it easier to know more about your personality/mindset & gauge your wavelength & general outlook about ideas that matter to them. This is why it is considered instrumental to maintain social media handles to boost your chances of procuring jobs. 

Since our characteristics & behaviour tend to reflect a lot on our approach at work, recruiters feel the need to understand their potential employees before hiring them. Additionally, they also try to assess whether you would be able to fit in with the company culture—something many candidates struggle with.  

Over the past few years, there has been a surge in the trend of companies rejecting applicants based on their social media accounts, suggesting that social media and job opportunities go hand in hand. A study conducted by Reppler suggested that a whopping 91% of recruiters & hiring managers tend to check the social media profiles of candidates during their screening process.  

Apart from that, 69% of recruiters have rejected candidates while 68% have hired candidates based on their profiles. This suggests that, if used appropriately, these platforms can be immensely beneficial in helping individuals land a job.  

Using social networking sites mindfully can help you greatly in procuring good jobs. For this, focus on platforms such as LinkedIn & Facebook, unless your preferred industry aligns with any other platform (such as Instagram, Twitter, or Pinterest)  

What Should You Keep in Mind While Posting on Social Networking Sites?  

It is important to understand that the impact of social media on hiring is tremendous. Sensitive & controversial topics such as religion, caste, class, political inclination, etc., can prove to be divergent from the employer’s beliefs, & can lead to rejection. Avoid posting about any such topics that can make you leave a bad impression on your audience. Instead, focus on writing about trending topics in the industry & post them on your profile so that recruiters can notice you easily. Make sure that you are always empathetic & kind while conversing with individuals online & offline. Having a good character would help employers understand that you are a team player & an enabler.  Connect with like-minded individuals from the industry who might be able to give you a referral or recommend you for a job role.  Maintaining an impressive profile can be done by sharing intelligent, compelling stories & posts to attract potential employers. Building a personal brand helps you stand out from the crowd & gain a competitive advantage over other candidates. By doing so, you will be able to establish an identity as an industry expert & thought leader.  Plan out an extensive social media strategy & use hashtags to reach your desired audience. Maintain a calendar to ensure that you post consistently throughout the week. Engage with other individuals in the industry by leaving thoughtful comments on their posts. Make the most of features such as LinkedIn polls, Instagram polls & any other features that have been recently rolled out.  Do not be afraid to experiment with different formats & take note of metrics to see what works for your profile.  Optimize your LinkedIn profile by updating your headline, about section, skills, education, awards, & so on. Include a call-to-action at the end of the about section so that employers easily reach out to you.For instance, you can include a CTA such as:  

              -  "If you are looking for a creative content writer, reach out to me at (insert email address)"  

              -  "Reach out to me at (insert email address) or send me a direct message on LinkedIn"  

An amazing way of demonstrating your expertise is to share your knowledge & experience on these platforms. LinkedIn allows you to create carousels — one can use these to teach others. For instance, if you are a content writer, you could create a carousel of the top 10 tools that a content writer must be familiar with. This way, not only will you be able to pass on knowledge but you will also be able to showcase your knowledge of the domain. In this case, potential employers would know that you possess knowledge of these tools.

Social media has become a very crucial platform for job seekers as well as employers, especially in today’s unprecedented times. Being a competitive platform, searching for a job with these tips in mind can really help you find one of your choices!

Have you ever considered using your social media handles to boost your chances of getting hired? 

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