The Social Media Job Search...by the Letter E
Searching for a job can be a daunting task for someone who has not been in the workforce for quite some time, has been out of work for awhile, OR if you have been in one position so long that you don't really know where to start once the 'end' has come. I find myself in the initial category of having been out of work for awhile. I allowed my spouse to do all of the working and the bringing home of the bacon so to speak. This situation has it's good and it's bad points. The good being you don't have to pay for child care if you have children, you save money on gas and other work expenses and you can concentrate on other pursuits like furthering your education. The bad (and I'm going REALLY bad here), if your spouse loses his/her job, dies or decides to dissolve your union and you are unprepared without a job or insurance YOU are left with a huge mess. Many people think it is easy to acquire a job and will give you the whole 'oh things will get better' speech. Many of these people already have jobs. For the rest of us it's a jungle out there. Trying to compete with others who are all searching just like you can create a feeling of depression or anxiety. What are your options when looking for a job? How do you express to a potential employer that you know how to utilize new technology if you've never done so in a professional setting? How do you get training on the new technology out there for people like you?
The answers are simple. Use the tools in front of you. If you do not know how to use a computer...then...I'm not really sure how you got here to read this blog. Seriously though, if you do not know how to use one there are several places you might look to for help. Local libraries often have introductory computer skills training. If you are out of work and receiving unemployment benefits you can go to your local workforce center for training. They have people that teach small classes and the great thing about them is that all of the people sitting around you have just as much or little skill as you do. The resources are there...use them.
Historically speaking the newspaper classified ads have always been the go to spot for job searches. Now people utilize the internet and the myriad of job search engines out there to help them. Here's my problem with job search engines. Lack of upkeep. There are a few job search engines out there that simply re-post jobs that other larger job search sites have posted. The problem with this is that when the hiring company selects someone to fill the position, they notify the larger search engine to remove the ad but that removal does not trickle down to the other search sites that have copied it. So you are searching and find the job of your dreams only to click on the link and have it lead to a dead end. There is nothing more frustrating.
So what now? Well now you get involved in social media. The first thing I recommend before putting yourself 'out there' is creating a cleaned up copy of your resume. Before you head onto any social media site go use it. Familiarize yourself with the nuances of every link of how to maneuver around the site and what differences each one has. Go to Youtube, and search for tutorials if you are not familiar with how to use the site. Don't worry about 'breaking' the site or doing something wrong. The great thing about these social media sites is that they can always be deleted and you can start over as many times as necessary.
Familiarize yourself with LinkedIn. LinkedIn is one of the best networking sites out in the market today and it will put you back in touch with former co-workers and managers who might be willing to offer a personal recommendation for you. LinkedIn allows you to set up your page and list the number of your accomplishments and skills you have acquired. Fill out the entire site completely. One word of advice. Keep this page professional. Do not 'friend' your childhood 'crew' who still calls you 'smoopy' or whatever. Only invite and connect to former co-workers or people you have done business with who know your work ethic.
You can also connect to 'groups' for networking purposes. There are many groups on LinkedIn to choose from so I recommend hopping in to each one that sounds interesting and reading what others have to say. There are even areas for people to post that they are looking for work and a LinkedIn job search area to look for work in your area. This is one of the best I have discovered so far as it tends to be kept up to date by actual HR or hiring managers. So kudos to LinkedIn for bringing people together.
Another site to look into to continue your social media job search is Twitter. I know for some just beginning the Twitter it can seem like a daunting task trying to learn all of the hash tagging and other symbols to use on the site. Here's a quick run down.
# <---this is a hashtag. You use it in your 'tweets' to designate a subject within your tweet that can be grouped together. Tweet example: "I have been looking all over the place for a #job in #Austin"
The use of the hash will allow your tweet to be seen by anyone that does a search for the word 'job' or 'Austin'. This is a useful tool to direct or garner some attention to yourself.
@ <---the 'at' sign is used when you are communicating directly to another individual about something they wrote or you tweeted. Tweet example: "@DaveLetterman Holy cow that joke was so funny."
You just use the screen name of the person you are sending the message to.
<---this is the "RT or Re-Tweet symbol. Sometimes it's green, or other colors but the overall symbol is the same. This is used when you see something that other people have posted or tweeted that you'd like to share with whoever follows you (we'll get to followers in a minute)
You simply click on the symbol and their message is blasted on your page as a retweet.
Follow buttons allow you to follow someone's tweets as they happen on your own page. You simply click the follow button and then when you log in to Twitter you will be able to see who is saying what.
To use Twitter for a job search you simply enter in search terms like "jobs in Austin" or "Social Media Manager jobs" and you will be directed to anyone listing those jobs in Twitter. This is a great way to find local jobs posted by local people looking for YOU! The great thing about these feeds is that they change by the minute so keep checking back if you don't see something right away.
If you're feeling really adventurous you can create a video resume of yourself and post it to your LinkedIn profile or on YouTube. In your video you can touch on points in your resume that would present the best image of you to a potential employer. Show them your personality, how fantastic you are at talking to people and your ability to sell yourself. This is a great way for people to determine who you are and whether or not they would like to continue the hiring process with you.
So utilizing Social media can be overwhelming for those that have never ventured into this digital world. It is a tool to utilize in your job search that should not be ignored because you do not understand it but instead should be learned and tinkered with until you do. Above all else, do not give up. Being without a job stinks and not being able to find one knowing you have something amazing to offer an employer stinks worse but do not give up. Keep learning, keep reading and keep educating yourself on the different trends and things happening in the digital world. You'll be surprised at the things you'll learn.
Good Luck!
~This blog was brought to you today by the Letter E
~Elainewww.twitter.com
The answers are simple. Use the tools in front of you. If you do not know how to use a computer...then...I'm not really sure how you got here to read this blog. Seriously though, if you do not know how to use one there are several places you might look to for help. Local libraries often have introductory computer skills training. If you are out of work and receiving unemployment benefits you can go to your local workforce center for training. They have people that teach small classes and the great thing about them is that all of the people sitting around you have just as much or little skill as you do. The resources are there...use them.
Historically speaking the newspaper classified ads have always been the go to spot for job searches. Now people utilize the internet and the myriad of job search engines out there to help them. Here's my problem with job search engines. Lack of upkeep. There are a few job search engines out there that simply re-post jobs that other larger job search sites have posted. The problem with this is that when the hiring company selects someone to fill the position, they notify the larger search engine to remove the ad but that removal does not trickle down to the other search sites that have copied it. So you are searching and find the job of your dreams only to click on the link and have it lead to a dead end. There is nothing more frustrating.
So what now? Well now you get involved in social media. The first thing I recommend before putting yourself 'out there' is creating a cleaned up copy of your resume. Before you head onto any social media site go use it. Familiarize yourself with the nuances of every link of how to maneuver around the site and what differences each one has. Go to Youtube, and search for tutorials if you are not familiar with how to use the site. Don't worry about 'breaking' the site or doing something wrong. The great thing about these social media sites is that they can always be deleted and you can start over as many times as necessary.
Familiarize yourself with LinkedIn. LinkedIn is one of the best networking sites out in the market today and it will put you back in touch with former co-workers and managers who might be willing to offer a personal recommendation for you. LinkedIn allows you to set up your page and list the number of your accomplishments and skills you have acquired. Fill out the entire site completely. One word of advice. Keep this page professional. Do not 'friend' your childhood 'crew' who still calls you 'smoopy' or whatever. Only invite and connect to former co-workers or people you have done business with who know your work ethic.
You can also connect to 'groups' for networking purposes. There are many groups on LinkedIn to choose from so I recommend hopping in to each one that sounds interesting and reading what others have to say. There are even areas for people to post that they are looking for work and a LinkedIn job search area to look for work in your area. This is one of the best I have discovered so far as it tends to be kept up to date by actual HR or hiring managers. So kudos to LinkedIn for bringing people together.
Another site to look into to continue your social media job search is Twitter. I know for some just beginning the Twitter it can seem like a daunting task trying to learn all of the hash tagging and other symbols to use on the site. Here's a quick run down.
# <---this is a hashtag. You use it in your 'tweets' to designate a subject within your tweet that can be grouped together. Tweet example: "I have been looking all over the place for a #job in #Austin"
The use of the hash will allow your tweet to be seen by anyone that does a search for the word 'job' or 'Austin'. This is a useful tool to direct or garner some attention to yourself.
@ <---the 'at' sign is used when you are communicating directly to another individual about something they wrote or you tweeted. Tweet example: "@DaveLetterman Holy cow that joke was so funny."
You just use the screen name of the person you are sending the message to.
<---this is the "RT or Re-Tweet symbol. Sometimes it's green, or other colors but the overall symbol is the same. This is used when you see something that other people have posted or tweeted that you'd like to share with whoever follows you (we'll get to followers in a minute) You simply click on the symbol and their message is blasted on your page as a retweet.
Follow buttons allow you to follow someone's tweets as they happen on your own page. You simply click the follow button and then when you log in to Twitter you will be able to see who is saying what.
To use Twitter for a job search you simply enter in search terms like "jobs in Austin" or "Social Media Manager jobs" and you will be directed to anyone listing those jobs in Twitter. This is a great way to find local jobs posted by local people looking for YOU! The great thing about these feeds is that they change by the minute so keep checking back if you don't see something right away.
If you're feeling really adventurous you can create a video resume of yourself and post it to your LinkedIn profile or on YouTube. In your video you can touch on points in your resume that would present the best image of you to a potential employer. Show them your personality, how fantastic you are at talking to people and your ability to sell yourself. This is a great way for people to determine who you are and whether or not they would like to continue the hiring process with you.
So utilizing Social media can be overwhelming for those that have never ventured into this digital world. It is a tool to utilize in your job search that should not be ignored because you do not understand it but instead should be learned and tinkered with until you do. Above all else, do not give up. Being without a job stinks and not being able to find one knowing you have something amazing to offer an employer stinks worse but do not give up. Keep learning, keep reading and keep educating yourself on the different trends and things happening in the digital world. You'll be surprised at the things you'll learn.
Good Luck!
~This blog was brought to you today by the Letter E
~Elainewww.twitter.com
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