When most people think about social media websites, they generally think about sharing family photos or interacting with friends. However, job seekers in today's world should consider these websites as excellent resources for finding employment as well.
With more and more companies adopting social media as a core component of their marketing strategies, social networks make it easy to learn about and interact with your favorite companies. They can also potentially help you find the job of your dreams.
"Now more than ever, job seekers have full access to what a prospective employer's company is really like... what they're working on, what kind of values they have, and what kind of talent they're seeking," reports Mohnish Sani of careerglider.com, a web resource for people looking to make career changes.
Find Out About Job Opportunities
Many companies post about job opportunities on their social media profiles. Although this information can often be found on Twitter and Facebook, it is even more commonly found on LinkedIn. In fact, there are countless companies that use LinkedIn as a means of connecting with job candidates and putting the word out that they are in need of valuable employees.
In many cases, information is given about where and how to apply, the job that is being offered, and the requisite qualifications. This info can save job seekers time by allowing them to determine beforehand if the position is right for their skillsets, and it can make it easy for potential candidates to turn in their resumes.
Become Established and Respected
Nowadays, many companies are looking for established and well-respected individuals who are known as experts in their field. Many of these companies are even beginning to turn to social media websites as a means of finding out more about job candidates and to scope out individuals who are well-known for being involved in a certain field.
Job seekers should use social networks opportunities to establish a base of connections and to display thought leadership and contribution to conversations around topics in their industry. Not only does having a profile on these websites help job candidates look good to potential employers but it can also make it easy for recruiters to track down people who are perfect for the positions they're looking to fill.
This is especially true for individuals who are looking for IT careers and other jobs in the technology field, but it can be true for healthcare jobs and other types of positions as well.
Learn More about the Company
Oftentimes during the interview process, hiring managers try to determine how much the candidate knows about the company or how interested he or she is in the work being done by the company. For this reason, it's critical to go to the interview armed with at least basic knowledge about the company's background.
Social media websites make it easy for job candidates to find out more about a company's philosophy and culture. Knowing this kind of information not only impresses interviewers, but it helps ensure that as a candidate, you feel comfortable that you've found a company whose culture you can feel part of.