By: Jasmine Reed

Technology, Communication & YOU! Navigating Social Media

• Employers are increasingly using Social Media (SM) to recruit employees

• LinkedIn and Facebook lead the pack as recruiting sources

• Existence of a Hidden Job Market

• Job seeker and resource staff need to be able to navigate (SM) effectively

What are the Facts…

• Exists through Social Media Networks

• Primarily a referral network based on recommendations

• Used to identify and engage top candidates in a professional capacity

The Hidden Job Market:

• Relevance to the Job Seeker:

• Not being Connected means… • Missed key opportunities to engage

• Missed promotion queues

• Lack if knowledge of more and more of the available job market

• Relevance to the Employer: • Increased awareness of the organization

• Increased traffic to website

• Greater favorable perceptions of the brand

• Able to monitor conversations about the organization

• Able to develop targeted marketing activities

• Better understanding of customers perceptions of their brand

• Improved insights about their target markets & potential employees

• Identification of positive and negative comments

• Increase in new business

• Identification of new product or service opportunities

• Ability to measure the frequency of the discussion about the brand

• Early warning of potential product or service issues

Relevance:

• The LinkedIn JOB Insider:

• Needs to be downloaded as add-in

• Partnership with Career Builder and Monster

• Informs you of connections you have with persons at Companies associated with positions you’ve applied for.

• LinkedIn Company Pages:

• Company's now have pages with career sections

• Identify connections within the company

• Handy for accessing the unadvertised jobs available

• Lists previous employees and employers

• The Find Jobs Feature:

• Accessed through the main dashboard

• Displays listed Job Openings

• Openings match listed qualifications

• Quick links for more information

• Advanced Search:

• Located with Find Jobs Page

• Allows for keyword Search

LinkedIn:

• LinkedIn Answers

• Good place to make connections

• Anyone can post and others can answer

• Opportunity to build credibility with knowledgeable answers

• Responses are linked to profiles

• Provides inside information about you

• LinkedIn Connections:

• Networking

• Available openings at connections places of business

• Introductions your/their “in”

• LinkedIn Groups:

• Find Join and create groups related to your occupation

• Networking with those who are “in” your field

• Often first place positions are advertised

LinkedIn Continued…

• More Information…

• Updates can include links to other websites

• Ability to follow people associated with companies

• Ability to be followed

• Companies are announcing jobs here and links to their company site

• Used for providing customer service

• Good for Branding

• Recommended for professional positions and high tech industries

• Tweets with Job Openings

• Twit job search (http://twitjobsearch.com)

• Follow different companies

• #Hashtags

• Used to organize information

• Searchable

• Most Popular

#careerchat

#hireFriday

Twitter: The 140- character Micro-Blogging tool

• Features status updates indicating a job search

• Messaging personal networks

• Job Leads & Future contacts

• Likeable Career Pages

• Facebook Add ins:

• Branch Out (http://Branchout.com)

• Can grow or stunt your marketability

Facebook:

• Facebook

• Check your privacy settings

(You control what people see)

• Reintroduce yourself with a more professional out look

• Focus photos on volunteering and professional activity

• Feature links and highlight s about your interest (professionally)

• Like company pages and those of professional groups

• LinkedIn :

• Be sure you have a complete profile

• Highlight qualifications and value you bring

• Current photo is a must

• Linking your profiles from other SM sites gives a more complete picture of you.

• Get recommended

• Add skills tags to increase your search-ability

• Twitter

• Use your profile to demonstrate knowledge and interest

• Tweet about your industry

• Network and connect to initiate professional Discussions

Helpful Hints:

• For Job Seekers:

• Opportunity to be informed

• Target your resume and cover letter

• Connect to key people

• Increase your ability to demonstrate value

• Gain insight to interviewers and their affiliations

• Employers

• The opportunity to get to know you before making what can be a very large investment.

In Sum: Social Media is a Evil

• Slideshare (http://www.slideshare.net)

Free presentation sharing site- PowerPoint friendly

• Youtube (http:// www.youtube.com) Upload you 30-60 second elevator speech and link to SM sites

• Vimeo (http://www.vimeo.com)

Upload you 30-60 second elevator speech link and link to SM sites

• WIkiSpaces (http://www.wikispaces.com)

Allows you to embed online presentations from all of the above including documents and scans of resumes, cover letters, awards, degrees, and certificates.

Other Online Portfolios:

• 12 Major Business Benefits Of The Social Media Revolution

http://www.jeffbullas.com/2011/02/14/12-major-benefits-of-the-social-media-revolution/

• Social Networking Sites

http://jobsearch.about.com/od/networkingsites/a/networkingsites.htm

• Social Media for One-Stop Career Center Frontline Staff: Supporting Job Search and Improving Customer Service

http://www.heldrich.rutgers.edu/publications/publication-types/research-brief

• Five Social Media Tips for Job-Seekers

http://www.dailyfinance.com/2011/01/19/job-seekers-tips-social-media/

Sources:

Video Tutorials: Click the boxes below to view tutorials

@Social Networking

# LinkedIn

@twitter #Facebook

GO Forth & NETWORK!