Is Your Social Media Activity “Resume Ready?”
There are two types of job seekers—those who are actively seeking employment, and those currently working, but searching for better opportunities.
Unlike active candidates, those people are known as ‘passive.’
Both types have one thing in common—they spend time online. A lot of time online.
Recruiters and human resources departments know how much of our lives are lived online, and they use that to their advantage when making a hiring decision. No matter which type of job seeker you are, you have no choice—your online profile must be “resume ready.”
The reason is simple—you never know when the next opportunity will present itself. When the right job comes at the right time, you certainly don’t need to be unprepared.
When preparing for a serious job search, a social media presence is clearly necessary in the process. For many people, the last time they searched for a new job, online social profiles were not as prevalent. Now they play a much bigger role than people realize.
Three tips to keep your social media appearance a positive energy in your job search—both now, and in the future:
Tip 1 – Create a Public Profile
No public profile? This can be an obstacle to prospective employers. Many companies would prefer to see generic images than no images at all—especially profile pictures.
Private settings can, in many ways, give employers the feeling you have something to hide—even worse—that you did something you don’t want anyone to see. A public profile will provide sufficient access to companies interested in hiring you.
Tip 2 – Be Active on Social Media.
The key to social media is being social! Update your account regularly. With consistent activity, you will enable employers to see you are out there—being productive, energetic and looking for work. Regularly update your progress. The key is to be seen. You to show you are involved in your career, and are staying top of the latest industry trends.
Tip 3 – Your Bio Space is Limited—Use It Wisely.
Like the 140 characters in a post, you social media bio may be limited to a set number of characters. Probably not 140, but limited anyway. No matter what the maximum, you have to be aware of those limitations, and use that valuable real estate extremely carefully.
Keywords and key phrases can attract the attention you want. Avoid showing a cordial, but dry bio. Be descriptive about yourself, your work ethic and history, and what you have to offer to those interested in hiring you.