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How can I use Social Media in my job search?

Social media offers great tools to help you in your job search. It can help you build your network, learn more about your industry, and find job opportunities.

While you can still apply for a job using traditional channels, in today’s labour market most recruiters and employers also use social media in their search for job candidates. You may want to consider expanding your job search strategy through the following three main social media platforms:

LinkedIn is a social media platform designed specifically to connect professionals with people in their network. This is important in today’s labour market, as many employers hire candidates through people they know. There are 5 main ways you can use LinkedIn:

Create a profile to show your previous work experience and education.
Get noticed by recruiters who are looking for candidates like you.
Find and apply to job postings.
Join professional groups in your area of expertise to share industry insights and tips.
Follow people and organizations you would like to work for and learn about opportunities.

Facebook

While Facebook was initially a virtual community for social networking, there are times when companies or Facebook connections will share job opportunities with the public. In fact, as you meet new people in Ontario, you will also be building your professional network.

Once you have a Facebook account, click “Like” on company pages that are of interest to you. This way you will be able to see on your Facebook Feed (updated list of news items and stories in your network) any information they share or events they are hosting. Also, keep in mind that many organizations today will check your Facebook profile to get more information on your background to make sure that you will be a good fit with the company culture and environment.

Twitter

Twitter is often used as a source for news and updates. Many organizations will post real-time updates on their company, including job fairs and job postings on their site. Often, even employees within a company will be encouraged to share new job postings with their followers on Twitter. At the same time, recruiters will use Twitter to search for candidates and share job opportunities.

As a result, you could benefit from creating a Twitter account and following your friends, people in your network, and organizations that you are interested in. Just like with Facebook, if you plan to use this network for your job search make sure that the content that you share is appropriate for professional purposes.

For More Information

What is networking? - This article explains what networking is and has tips on how to get started. From Settlement.Org.
How to Network on Social Media – Information on best practices for creating connections and searching for a job on Social Media. From Monster.ca.
How to Write a Good Resume – A guide to writing an effective resume. It includes information about how to increase your chances of being shortlisted with companies that use computerized recruitment systems. From Raw Resume.