Job Hunting 101: How to Write Your Social Media Profile to Get Hired

June 27, 2011 by Hyo Leave a Comment

By Jaynine Howard

Social media is a resource that is used by at least 75% of all hiring managers to pre-screen or pre-qualify job applicants. Hiring managers and employers are searching for you online before they contact you for the first interview. Do not let your social media presence ruin your chances of getting an interview or getting hired for your dream job. My seven tips below will help you create your social media profile so that your phone rings inviting you to a job interview.

1. Keywords – Identify the keywords that hiring managers are using to search for applicants. You will find the keywords in job announcements. They will be industry specific.

2. Remove offensive pictures, posts and friends – Do not post pictures that you would not want grandma to see. This means no drinking game photos from your graduation party or photos from your bachelor party. You will also want to alert your friends and family that you are using social media for job hunting and that you do not want them posting offensive content. If they do you must be prepared to hide the post or unfriend the person. I recommend unfriending the person because you may not see the offensive post before a future employer sees it.

3. Write your profile – Write your profile as a word document so that you can edit it as needed. Also, write it as if you were writing a paper. Capitalize words that begin a sentence. You will want to end your sentence with a punctuation mark. Use correct grammar and spell words correctly. Do not forget to run spell check. Use keywords in your profile so that when a hiring manager or employer is conducting a search they will see your profile.

4. Share your expertise – When you post status updates you will want to share content related to your industry so that you are showing future employers you are staying abreast of your industry trends. Your updates may be links to articles, websites or videos. You will want to add a few of your own thoughts or ideas to supplement the link.

5. Network – Do you know what companies or the industry you would like to work? If so, start following the company and connecting with the hiring managers and employees. When networking with the employees ask why they like working there. You may find out that many of them are not happy and they will share that secret with you. Also, look to see where people leaving the company are going. This may provide valuable information too. You will also want to connect with these people and ask why they left. Networking with the hiring mangers is a great way to find out more about the jobs and to build rapport. Do not immediately begin asking these new friends about job openings. You will want to make time to establish rapport first. You establish rapport by finding a common subject to discuss i.e. pets, sports or military affiliation.

6. Get Recommendations – Now is the time to get your present and previous coworkers and supervisors to write recommendations for you. When hiring managers see these it will help them know why they should hire you and what to expect out of your performance.

7. Post a Profile Picture – Do not forget to post a professional profile picture. This is not the time to have a picture of you on your boat or with your pet. Post a picture that would be appropriate to put on your business card. A photo allows people to see you and feel a connection. It makes you real.

These seven tips will help you create a social media profile that will get you noticed and begin the hiring process. Job hunting is serious business. When you have a social media profile you will be able to share your expertise with hiring managers so you stand out amongst the competition.

Dream Catcher, Business & Life Coaching is a Veteran Owned Business. Coach Jaynine is a retired United States Marine and former psychotherapist who works with Veterans and those on Active Duty. Jaynine will show you how to increase your visibility while developing your expertise. Whether you are a Veteran Business Owner or still on Active Duty, Coach Jaynine is the coach for you. She will teach you the systems and strategies needed to grow your business, have a successful military career, or transition into civilian life. You can start turning your dreams into reality by downloading her FREE 15 Resume Success Tips https://writetherightresume.com.

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