5 Good Reasons You Should Be Using Social Media to Find Jobs

Let’s face it, if you are not using social media to find jobs today, then you are missing out on many job opportunities that are out there. The days of sending out a paper resumé are long gone, andeven sending your resumé by email is slowly fading away as companies and recruiters keep searching for smarter ways to get across suitable candidates. There are unrivalled benefits that social media offer to job seekers which you cannot get from elsewhere and the sooner you start using this platform in your job search, the better. It is no doubt that by using social media in your job search, you will increase your chances of making contacts with the right people and getting hired.

Here are 5 reasons why you should be using social media to find jobs:

1. It’s Who You Know

You probably have a Facebook page that you use to stay in touch with friends and family. WhileFacebook is great for social connections, you should be using LinkedIn for professional connections. LinkedIn is an online social network for professionals. You can easily create an account with all your updated work history, and do not forget to add your resume. Once you have done that, you can use LinkedIn to connect to people you know through Facebook or your email account. You will be surprised to see how many people are on LinkedIn. Now you can use your social circle to find a professional one.

2. Social Media is a Recruiter Tool

More and more recruiters are turning to social media to look for potential candidates today. Recruiters scour LinkedIn for skilled employees and if you do not have a profile on it, they will not find you. Many jobs are not being posted today. Instead, recruiters are looking for the best candidates through social media. Of course, if your Facebook is not private, make sure that you keep it professional. Recruiters will judge you if they see you partying in every photos.

3. Promote Yourself

With social media sites like LinkedIn you can tail your profile to highlight your expertise and skills. Have you earned a new certificate recently or taken part in a seminar? Post it on your profile. Do not forget to add your resumé, and make sure it is updated. A lot of job seekers are also creating their own website or blog to get more exposure. It is an easy way to promote yourself.

4. Learn More

Social media sites are full of discussion boards and groups. You can use these boards and groups to learn more about your field and stay up-to-date on trends in your field. Boards and groups are also a way to show your expertise by joining in on the discussions.

5. Show Your Influence

Recruiters and employers today are looking to your Klout Score to choose between candidates. A Klout Score is your online influence and can be improved by sharing your expertise. One good way to improve your Klout Score is to open a Twitter account. In very few words you can tweet your advice or even provide links to articles or blog posts you have written.

People use social media almost everyday these days and it’s a great way to make that first point of contact. With all the reasons mentioned above, social media is definitely going to help job seekers find out more about a company and hopefully getting the dream job they always wanted.