Your Career InsuranCe PolICY:

MakIng soCIal MedIa ‘work’ for You

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Your Career InsuranCe PolICY: MakIng soCIal MedIa ‘work’ for You

Social media collides with almost every part of our lives – from announcing breaking news and managing party invitations, right through to the way we search for work. There was once a mind-set that some social platforms were for professional life, and others were for social life, but the reality is, they are beginning to blend. There are hundreds of social media platforms in existence but do you know how to use social media to boost your professional profile and raise awareness of your specific skills and expertise with the right people? If not, read on—this is now a core skill you simply must have.

Keys to Social Success: check listBe Authentic: be who you are, be honest because social crowds can spot a fake from a mileBe Relevant: think about the content that is being shared and if the platform works for youBe Consistent: candidate can’t put professional foot forward on LinkedIn; then be swearing on Twitter, and have drunken photos on FacebookBe Appropriate: only say the things that you would talk about in an interviewBe Connected: who you connect with, and what you say, matters; not just about what/who you know, but who you are linked to; ‘you can tell a lot about a person by their friends’.

93%

of recruitersuse LinkedInto source talent

Social media is no longer on the risein the recruitment world – it is the norm

Twitter is the go-to for morethan half (54%) sourcing talent

One in four recruiterssurveyed had successfully sourceda candidate on Facebook

have hiredthis way

89%

54% LinkedIn continues to dominate social recruiting at 93% adoption, while 66% use Facebook.

Two-thirds of companies are offering incentives for their staff to get involved with referring hires.

Source: Jobvite’s fifth annual Social Recruiting Survey

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IntroduCtIon

Social media collides with almost every part of our lives – from announcing breaking news and managing party invitations, right through to the way we search for work.

There was once a mind-set that some social platforms were for professional life, and others were for social life, but the reality is, they are beginning to blend. From Facebook, to Twitter and LinkedIn, many of us are already using social media to connect with recruiters and potential employers, but using it to your professional advantage can, and often does, take a little practise.

There are hundreds of social media platforms (‘sites’) in existence and given how prominent social media is, it is likely you are already using some of them, but do you know how to maintain your professional social reputation, for the long term? Do you know how to use social media to boost your professional profile and raise awareness of your specific skills and expertise with the right people? If not, read on — this is now a core skill you simply must have.

the leading social sites

facebook: a giant online directory (and diary) of individuals, businesses, brands, products, and government organisations. Best for connecting with people you already have a relationship with as they will need to ‘accept’ your invitation to ‘friend’ (link to) them. Local sites such as Weibo in China have similar functionality and large, local user bases.

twitter: A micro-blogging site where users (‘Tweeps’) can post updates (‘Tweets’) up to 140 characters. It provides a good opportunity to connect with people who you don’t know (unless they have a protected account, which is the minority).

linkedIn: The largest professional network in the world and in the words of the CEO Jeff Weiner, the goal is ‘to match talent with opportunity’ (Fortune, July 1 2013). Your CV is your profile, and LinkedIn is the place to follow other companies, business leaders, alumni groups, recruiters, and keep an eye out for jobs.

google+ and Hangouts: a social network that allows people to connect with both professional and personal connections in one place by keeping them separate through the ‘circles’ function. Google+ tracks users’ activity across many other sites, enables fast and effective collaboration and incorporates apps such as the Hangouts features, where users can conduct ‘virtual’ meetings.

tumblr: A visual blogging site that allows you to post words, pictures and videos and share with others. Traditionally the choice of younger users, Yahoo’s acquisition of Tumblr is likely to see it more widely used by brands and individuals for professional purposes.

Youtube: Still the largest video-sharing site in the world, although smaller social apps like Vine and Instagram have large user-bases too. Here, you can follow video publishers, share content and comment on other users’ posts.

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everYone reallY Is doIng It

Recruiting a role or finding a job on social media is no longer something ‘other people’ do – it’s now the norm.

Jobvite’s fifth annual Social Recruiting Survey has shown that social media is no longer on the rise in the recruitment world – it is the norm. LinkedIn continues to dominate social recruiting at 93 per cent adoption, while 66 per cent use Facebook. And with two-thirds of companies incentivising their staff to get involved with referring hires, it has become big business.

In fact, recruiting passive candidates through employee referrals and social networking is the most popular tactic for competing with other employers. So, the more people on social media who know about your skills and believe you to be credible and authentic, the better.

Social job-hunting is especially important if you are in an industry where social media is central to the work you do, such as media, digital, marketing, communications, politics and academia. Perhaps in different ways, all industries engage on social media – professional bodies, associations, jobsites, and businesses – so there is a ‘way in’ for everyone, no matter what your job of interest.

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Be where the recruiters are looking*

93%of recruiters use LinkedIn to source talent;

89% have hired this way.

Twitter is the go-to for more than half (54%) sourcing talent

One in four recruiters surveyed had successfully

sourced a candidate on Facebook.

*Source: Networking infograph

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It just Makes sense

If work and play weren’t crossing over enough, social media has turbo-boosted the merge.

Work colleagues are in our social networks; and social media is being used in business operations for good times and bad (promotions, and emergencies), and to connect professionals. Add to that the scenario that the world is getting a little smaller, but better connected thanks to technology, and you have the perfect setting for a global job hunt without leaving your office, café table, or couch.

Recruiters have also indicated that recruitment done this way is providing better candidates and it saves a lot of time as communication is quicker and ‘screening’ is easier.

An upside for candidates searching for job opportunities and connecting to future managers and colleagues this way is the familiarity and engagement they build before even starting a role. Most workplaces and brands have social media accounts themselves, so demonstrating an understanding of, and experience with it, is becoming important.

That said, job-hunting the social way has its advantages and disadvantages because talking is easy —backing it up with examples and action is harder. While it’s easier to make connections, it takes work to develop the relationship into something mutually beneficial.

Be proactive and make the effort, follow people up just as you would in the ‘real world’. Social media is (as the name suggests) a socialising activity. It doesn’t happen by itself. How much you get out of it will depend (like most things in life!) what you put it into it.

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Your Personal brand CarrIes weIgHt

Brand yourself as a company would brand its product.

Personal brands, and social media brands, are no longer as separate as they once were and your reputation and the way others view you on social media is important. It is how people will understand you and your skills; and screen you.

Older generations would rarely have mixed socially with the boss, and now it is the norm. On the flip side, younger generations might have grown up with social media, but they have missed out on the ‘old school’ rules of what should be talked about in the office, and what should be left at home.

For job-seekers, there is an opportunity to showcase your skills, talent and ideas on social media, but the challenge is to be authentic. The reality is that recruiters are likely to check your online presence to see if there is anything that a client might find inappropriate or risky before they even interview you.

Employers also need to consider their online brand for the job seekers who are researching online. For example, they should be providing regular information and updates, and be responsive to customer queries and complaints online. A company that is inactive in the social world might not be as ‘innovative’ as they

say there are on their website. Most candidates will also do online research about an interview panel, so the individuals’ details also need to create a positive impression.

Both jobseekers and employers need to remember that when it comes building and protecting your social brand, you need to consider:

Authenticity: be who you are, be honest because social crowds can spot a fake from a mile;

Relevance: think about the content that is being shared and if the platform works for you;

Consistency: candidate can’t put professional foot forward on LinkedIn; then be swearing on Twitter, and have drunken photos on Facebook)

Connections: who you connect with, and what you say, matters; not just about what/who you know, but who you are linked to; ‘you can tell a lot about a person by their friends’.

Appropriateness: only say the things that you would talk about in an interview.

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“Be authentic—stand behind who you are as a person and make sure that you can stand behind what you’re saying.”

[Participant comment from Track ‘Is Social Media in Recruitment just a Big Hype?’ at #truLondon.]

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get aHead of tHe PaCk wItH researCH

Of all the skills, and knowledge of the ins and outs of social media job-hunting, knowing how to research is probably the most important.

There are two reasons why social media will help get you ahead of the job candidate market:

1. You will be able to get insights, connections and news that others might not have.

2. Not enough people are using it to their advantage and researching the information available, so if you do, you are a step ahead.

There is a real opportunity for everyone (graduates, recruiters, managers) to research employers and others (i.e. people who work in fields of interest) to their advantage. LinkedIn and Twitter profiles (as well as blogs, digital portfolios and sites like about.me) give licence to research and learn about other people’s careers, jobs and the world of work like never before – research to find people just like you and start a conversation.

Easy ways to use social media for job research:

1. Searching a job title you are interested in on LinkedIn – instantly you will have profiles of people in businesses and industries you might like to work in.

2. Enter the title of the latest world conference for your industry, identify the most common event hash tag (starting with ‘#’), and find out about the emerging topics and job trends, and see who is sharing, commenting and leading in this space.

3. On Facebook, you probably have a more known and trusted network – post an update asking if anyone knows of someone who works in an industry of interest, or a location you are relocating for work whether, Ireland or India.

“Where do you want to be in 10 years? See what other people have

done. There are so many new jobs out there that didn’t exist a year ago.” [Participant comment from Track ‘Is Social Media in Recruitment just a Big Hype?’ at #truLondon.]

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10 tIPs for job-HuntIng tHe soCIal waY

1. Have faith – job hunting and career researching this way the new standard.

2. set-up an account on at least one of the big three – LinkedIn, Twitter or Facebook – if you haven’t already.

3. Provide as much detail about your career experience on your accounts as you are comfortable with. Mention your profession in your Twitter description, on Facebook, and fill out your entire LinkedIn profile with as much detail as possible.

4. use the search functions to research the names of companies, business leaders, case studies and industry keywords of interest to you. Don’t be afraid to link to them and open the door to engage.

5. Many recruiters and jobs boards will have social media accounts – follow recruiters and job boards, even based on e-newsletters you receive. Newsletters might be weekly but social media is immediate. Many recruiters and job boards will have social media accounts.

6. get active – ask questions, comment on blog/discussion posts, reply to questions, ‘re-tweet’, follow, join groups, search the names of people who are interviewing you.

7. Put forward your expertise – everyone has something work-related to share so if you have done something, know something, or have found something interesting – tell your network.

8. go at your own pace – it is OK to observe and just dip your toe in the water to begin as there is still a lot to be learnt.

9. find the right balance between professional and personal. It is very fine in social media, including the impact it could have on your career when commenting and sharing. Showing your uniqueness and personality is important, but remember reputation is important, everything stays on the internet.

10. ask yourself: ‘Would I be happy/able to back-up what I’m about to say in an interview?’

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ConClusIon

Social media is the signpost not the destination

While not true of everyone, most people don’t grow up aspiring to be public speakers —and social media is a public speaking platform. For some, this can be daunting and raise questions about how you should behave and present yourself.

However, social media can be a way to help you connect with people whose circle might have been impossible otherwise – MDs of recruitment firms, senior leaders of top companies, following a business on LinkedIn. Once upon a time, you had to actually work with these people and organisations, now you can be on the other side of the world and still get their insight, and contact them directly. It is also a great way to be able to see what networking events, careers fairs or conferences are going on in your industry, in a place near you. And, if you aren’t near to these events, it is likely that someone is commenting about them on social media, so you don’t have to miss out entirely.

Just like any other form of public speaking, it’s important to consider what you say, how you say it and what the purpose of your ‘speech’ really is when using social media. Understanding how to authentically represent ourselves, as well as how to research and create opportunities on social media are now core skills for many roles. Do these things well and you’ll have a significant career advantage.

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CrowdsourCIng tHrougH kellY exPerts:

kellyservices.comAll trademarks are property of their respective owners. an equal opportunity employer. © 2012 kelly Services, Inc.

kelly promiseYou’re unique and you’re different, it’s what makes you, you! At Kelly we understand that not everybody wants the same thing out of their work. Whether you’re just starting your career or have many years of experience behind you, we are committed to helping you find a role that’s just right for you. Every person’s path has its own twists and turns and in this new world of work, it can be tricky to navigate through. You can find useful DIY career information at www.kellyservices.com and when you decide to contact us directly, we’ll work together with your passion and expertise to guide you to your next challenge. Whether this may be in the flexible and temporary workforce or as a permanent employee, Kelly is here to help every step of the way.

kelly facts Kelly Services, Inc. (NASDAQ: KELYA, KELYB) is a leader in providing workforce solutions. Kelly® offers a comprehensive array of outsourcing and consulting services as well as world-class staffing on a temporary, temporary-to-hire and direct-hire basis. Serving clients around the globe, Kelly provides employment to more than 550,000 employees annually. Revenue in 2011 was $5.6 billion. Visit our website and connect with us on Facebook, LinkedIn & Twitter.

stefan renzewitz

Stefan is the Operations Lead for Talent Sourcing in the DACH region. He has strong experience in Career Event, Employer Branding and Talent Relationship solutions including campaign planning and execution with a focus on graduates and young professionals (Business, Engineers and IT).

sally Hunter

As RPO Practice Lead EMEA for the Kelly Outsourcing & Consulting Group, Sally is responsible for the RPO proposition from client relationships via the account manage-ment team to consulting on HR transformation. Sally has extensive experience in the human capital sec-tor, including leadership positions within strategic account management for staffing providers to operational delivery.

bence bak

Bence Bak is EMEA Sourcing Manager. Bence has 4 years experience in both researching and sourcing for different levels of candidates in the IT industry. Currently responsible for training and maintaining the knowledge base for different stakeholders, creating new standards and processes around proactive search and implementing a new international IT system.

lauren Clovis

Lauren is EMEA Marketing Manager, focussing on employer branding, candidate communications and events organisation. With a strong background in finance recruitment and a history of working on client premises to deliver contingent workforce solutions, Lauren’s experience focuses on both B2B and B2C audiences.

astrid akse

Astrid is HR Manager EMEA at Kelly Services. Having worked for several years within recruitment leadership roles, Astrid is now responsible for HR across the EMEA region. Astrid has an international outlook and her current role focuses on internal recruitment amongst other responsibilities.

stefano giorgetti

Stefano is the Managing Director and Vice President of Kelly Services in Germany. He has a strong history of working within the recruitment industry and is currently an innovation champion for Kelly focusing on improving the candidate and customer experience.