Many employers have begun to Google potential candidates before offering them an interview. Therefore, it is becoming increasingly important for you to make sure what you put online about yourself is suitable and can’t harm your reputation. Simply changing your privacy settings is not always enough, and instead, there is a growing need for individuals to generate content online that best reflects their skills and knowledge. Social media offers a great opportunity to showcase your skills to potential employers and connect with industry leaders. Here are 6 ways that you can improve your social media presence and boost your employability.
Be careful with your wording!
Many have developed a habit on social media of using ‘text talk’, although this may help you to stick to the character limit on Twitter or can be easier to use on Facebook, it can actually have a negative effect on your image and can harm your employment prospects, particularly if you are interviewing for a job that requires good written skills and attention to detail. If an employer was to look at your social media accounts and see that your posts contain bad spelling and grammar, it can make them question your skills, and could harm your chances of employment. It is, therefore, essential you try to make sure that posts are grammatically correct.
Increase your activity
Simply having a social media account is not enough to boost your employability. Social media sites offer you a great platform to network. If you are looking for a job that involves using the internet, especially social channels or marketing, having blank unused social media accounts can harm your success with a company. A blank social media account will prove nothing in regards to your ability to navigate online. By choosing not to actively use social media you will also be missing out on a great opportunity to connect with others in your industry.
Make your posts relevant
If you are going to commit to improving your social media and increasing your activity it is essential that your posts are relevant. Simply posting regular updates of your nights out will likely put employers off rather than increase your employment prospects. You don’t have to stop posting about your personal life, just ensure that all your posts are suitable for the social media platform you are using and can’t harm your reputation.
Schedule posts
Many social media sites now have options that allow you to schedule posts – this feature is a very effective way to make sure you remain engaged with your social media accounts without having to be glued to a computer screen. This feature is great for those who are very busy and don’t have enough time to post regularly.
Start blogging or vlogging!
Blogging or even vlogging has proved to be a highly effective way to showcase your skills and improve your employment prospects. Popular social media sites such as YouTube and Tumblr provide easy to use facilities to create and maintain blogs and vlogs. Blogging and vlogging can demonstrate your knowledge of an industry, your written or oral skills, your ability to research a topic, as well as showing a potential employer that you are proactive.
Connect with industry leaders
Following or connecting with individuals that are active in the industry you wish to enter, on sites such as Twitter and Google+, can help you to keep up with trends as well as generate talking points at an interview. Creating a LinkedIn profile is a great way to connect with industry leaders and network in a formal professional setting. Your LinkedIn profile acts as a virtual CV and can help showcase your skills and achievements to those you have connected with.
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