Using LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to Job Search

Social networks allow all parties involved to better search for and reach their target. Instead of having a broad, over-arching resume, these tools let people connect over detailed experiences.

Check this short video from Commoncraft: Social Media in Plain English

LinkedIn
Linkedin enables you to see profiles of anyone else on LinkedIn, and gives you ways to connect to them.  There are a few ways you can use LinkedIn in a job search:

• Company search – One of the best ways to use LinkedIn is if you have a very specific company you are interested in.  You search on that company, and hopefully find people who are connected to other people you know.  Then, you can ask your personal contact to connect you.
• Job postings - LinkedIn allows employers to post jobs on the site.  The jobs are usually high quality, professional jobs.
• Email – It is easy to send an  email to contacts in your LinkedIn network, letting them know of your situation, and asking for any help or the names of people you can contact.
• Blog Link – LinkedIn has the ability to link a blog post to your profile.   With a new blog post,  your Linkedin  profile is updated and it includes the updated post in the weekly update emails that go out to your connections.
• Twitter Link - Similar to Blog Link, LinkedIn also pulls your conversations from Twitter.  So, anyone who is not on Twitter, can see what you are tweeting about.

Twitter
Twitter allows you to connect with people you don’t know, based on common interests.   It is a great way to network!

• Basic networking -  You can be connected to people who are out of work,  and you can learn about available  jobs.   In a short time you can obtain information about the jobs ,  sending a “Tweet” to people you meet on Twitter.
• Job postings -  Check out JobAngels and local job listings – a great number of these are being established monthly.   Job recruiters also have Twitter accounts and use them to find qualified applicants.
• Connecting -  Read the bio of the person you are interested in connecting with him/her; you can see if they live / work where you might be interested in and, if you feel the contact can connect you to job opportunities,  then get in touch with them.
• Companies – Check out the  Twitter tool called Twellow – it  searches people’s bios and URLs on their bios.

Facebook
Facebook can be a networking tool as well.  It is used primarily for connecting with friends or people you know and reconnecting with people in your past.

• Notes -  You can use the Note feature in Facebook to explain your out-of work situation and what you are  looking for.  A note tends to stay on people’s screens longer than a status update, and you can write much more.
• Status update -  You can frequently post status updates relating to your job search, to remind others that you are still looking for a job.  For Example:  “I had a great interview this morning… keep your fingers crossed!” or “I have a networking meeting later today with a company I’m really interested in!”.

Personal Blog
I think a blog is a critical piece to getting a job because it enables you to do a number of things:

• Showcase your talents to potential employers – they see how you write, see what’s important to you, see who you are personally, and even see examples of your work.  All that, before they even meet you.  It helps make you a real person versus a piece of paper resume.
• Comment on other blogs – This gets your name out there even more, and if you write something interesting, it may catch the eye of a potential employer.
• Blog about opportunities you want -  You can blog about the types of jobs you want. For example, if you want a job at a specific nonprofit doing HR work, you can blog about ideas you have.

Source: How to Use Social Media in Your Job Search
http://jobsearch.about.com/od/networking/a/socialmedia.htm

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Social Media Links

Create a  Social Media Resume

Social media has allowed us to reverse the recruiting process. Instead of submitting our resume, it becomes a billboard that can be shared, distributed to hiring managers, searched and more. In one sense it showcases your talents and what you’re looking for in a job and in the other, recruiters become attracted to it and will approach you with the opportunities that you desire.

With a social media resume, you’re able to paint a completely different portrait of yourself for hiring managers and customize it to reflect your personal brand. With the inclusion of various multimedia elements, sharing options, integrated social networking feeds and the same elements you’d find in a traditional resume, you are better equipped for success.

http://mashable.com/2009/01/13/social-media-resume/

Use Twitter to Find Job Leads

How to Get Started Guide

Here is a link to understand what all the Twitter fuss is about – and why you might want to use this social networking tool.  Don’t miss out on useful information and professional connections. Check out this easy guide on how and why to get started with Twitter.

http://www.cio.com/article/479010/Twitter_How_to_Get_Started_Guide_for_Business_People

How to Use Twitter to Job Hunt

LinkedIn is great for job hunting – but do not miss out on the power of Twitter. Here’s expert advice on how to tweet your way to new contacts and opportunities.

http://www.cio.com/article/482324/Twitter_Tips_How_to_Use_Twitter_to_Job_Hunt

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See How Linkedin is going to change the Job Hunting Process

As an job applicant in this economy, it is hard enough to get desired visibility,  and, when you have to spend long hours in front of the computer, cutting and pasting your resume, filling out online applications forms, reformatting the information you’re submitting to fit each position you want to apply,  it can be exhausting.  What is the resume for?   … its merely a data point for assessing some ones ability to meet the requirements of an opportunity

It is clear that the typical recruiter does not  rely only on a resume any longer. Phone screens, assessments, backgrounds screening, and reference checks are all part of the evaluation process. As applicants build out their social presence through social media tools, I strongly believe that the resume in its current form will be replaced by the profile with an ‘all about me’ focus. Companies are racing to build this internally, and vendors are starting to understand the power in tapping into the data from the social media providers.

So what if a recruiter was to use a Linkedin Profile to find applicants to respond to job opportunities?  I believe this will be a a future trend.  Conversely, what if an applicants can, with a touch of a button,  respond to a job posting from their linked-in contacts, and with a simple click select their linked-in profile to be the foundation for their submission (i.e. no more resume).  One’s LinkedIn profile is actually a resume anyway. This portability of your profile is seamless and doesn’t require, finding, updating and reformatting a resume for consideration. It also doesn’t require you having to be at your personal computer to find your resume word document.

A new Linkedin Tool called Connections is available for you to 1) group your connections however you’d like by tagging them, 2) one click messaging, select a group and start writing, and 3) type-ahead Search: Jump right to the connection you’re looking for by typing a couple letters of their name.

Five Ways to Make The Most of Recommendations

LinkedIn recommendations from past and present colleagues can be one of the most helpful features to help communicate your value. Here’s five tips for doing the most good for yourself with LinkedIn recommendations.

http://www.cio.com/article/481496/LinkedIn_Recommendations_Five_Ways_to_Make_The_Most_of_Them