Since the emergence of the first more extensive social media networks such as Facebook, a new form of recruiting has come to the fore. So-called social recruiting or digital recruiting. This means using social media platforms’ reach and communication options to recruit suitable personnel. More and more companies are using social media to recruit staff.
That’s why you can also use social media sensibly for your application from the applicant’s point of view. So you have the opportunity to draw attention to yourself and present yourself well before an interview.
Which platforms should you use? What points should you pay attention to? We will answer these questions in this post!
Which Social Media Are Best For Job Hunting?
When you think of social media for recruiting, the first things that come to mind are LinkedIn and Xing. These platforms continue to be great for finding a good job. XING is very popular . On the other hand, in America and other countries, the LinkedIn platform is much more popular. XING is primarily used as a career platform, in which the professional career is posted as a profile with a photo. A company search is a perfect tool when looking for a job. If you are interested in a particular company, you look for members of XING who work there, and if you are lucky, one of your contacts knows one of these people and can put you in touch with them.
However, it is often enough to have a well-completed profile, and inquiries from headhunters often come automatically if you are in a professional field that is in high demand.
But Facebook is also becoming increasingly popular for HR professionals and headhunters. Companies often commission so-called social recruiting agencies to advertise on Facebook & Instagram to reach potential applicants. There you can then apply quickly and without a cover letter or CV. There is also a job exchange on Facebook to look for new career opportunities.
Your Profile On Social Media: What Should You Pay Attention To?
Imagine the following situation: You have just sent off your application, and the recruiter googles your name out of interest, then comes across your public Facebook account and sees numerous awkward party photos, spelling mistakes, or inappropriate comments there. Your previously serious appearance, which your future supervisor received through your application, has changed in no time at all. Therefore, you should pay attention to the following aspects.
Privacy Settings
There are privacy settings so that not everyone can read all of your posts. Therefore, you should always use the privacy settings and only make the content of your Facebook profile accessible to your contacts. You should also not make a strong impression. Party photos are rarely well-received, but holiday photos positively affect appearance.
CV And Social Media In Harmony
When applying, it is essential to use truthful facts. The images and posts on your social media account should also match the information on your application. It would seem questionable if you listed on your CV that you did an internship after school but instead posted on your Instagram profile that you were on vacation at the same time.
Of course, you should also appear on the Internet with your real name to come across as more serious.
Use The Right Images
It is advantageous to use high-quality, qualitative images and choose a neutral background for your images. Photos showing you doing your hobbies are also good because these draw on the hobbies you hopefully mentioned on your resume.
Proper Networking
It is essential to build up a network on LinkedIn and Xing. You don’t build a network like this overnight, so you should start as early as possible.
You can start by adding all contacts from your professional life from different companies and your private life on business networks like XING and LinkedIn as a contact. Above all, people with a wide range and an extensive network are valuable contacts.
Even contacts that seem irrelevant to you at first should not be underestimated because each of these contacts has its network with other potentially interesting contacts from different companies and industries for you!
Conclusion
As you can see, you can use social media to increase your chances of finding a new job. However, a wrong approach can also have the exact opposite effect.
But as long as you stick to the tips above, nothing should go wrong!
