Using Social Media in Your Job Search

To receive the full benefit of this course, the staff of the Montgomery County Public Library strongly recommends attending in person. Individual assistance with each exercise is provided in class as well as a Question & Answer session with our instructors.

Objectives

• Discuss how potential employers review your information on social media sites such as Facebook & MySpace.

• Exhibit how social networking sites can be used to find information about a potential employer.

• Demonstrate how to use LinkedIn for job networking.

Your Online Reputation

• According to a survey of Human Resources managers, 70% have rejected a candidate based on their “online reputation”, meaning the kind of information that can be found online about you.

• If you have a personal account on a social networking site, such as MySpace or Facebook, make sure your privacy settings are set up so that posts are not viewable by the public. Suggestive pictures and negative comments to someone’s wall are the types of things you want to avoid.

• Your online reputation also consists of comments you have made on public forums. Joining a job specific forums is a good way to learn about job openings or make new connections. When making comments, make sure they are logical and professional.

Your Online Reputation cont.

• Most HR managers will do a Google search of your name.

• A quick way to determine your online reputation is to Google your name and/or the email address used in your contact information when applying for a job. Take a few minutes to search for your name and look over the results.

PRACTICE

Your Online Reputation cont.

• Another site HR managers use is www.spokeo.com. Only basic information can be seen without paying the yearly fee but a search on this site gives you an idea of what kind of information HR managers are seeing when they use this site.

• Based on these searches, you may determine that you need to change the privacy settings on social networking sites or contact the content managers of sites that, you have commented to or been mentioned on, to have posts removed.

Your Online Reputation cont.

• Since we have been talking about privacy settings, here are the steps to change your settings on some of the most popular sites:– MySpace: Account Settings – Privacy Settings – Who

can view my full profile – choose “My Friends Only”– Facebook: as you post or to set your default, go to

Privacy Settings– Twitter: twitter.com/account/settings – Tweet

Privacy – check Protect my updates

Your Online Reputation cont.

• Here are some websites that will help you assess your online reputation:– Google Grader (bit.ly/google-grader) is a free tool that

gives your name a grade for your online reputation. Not having much information available online or having negative information lowers your grade.

– Social Mention (www.socialmention.com) searches for your name in blogs, Tweets, and other social posts.

– Google Alerts (www.google.com/alerts) allows you to set up alerts to your email if your name is mentioned to help you monitor your online reputation.

Online Networking Tips

• Make sure your comments fit the type of network you are using. For example, LinkedIn is a professional network, so don’t make personal comments.

• Don’t use ALL CAPS online, this is like shouting.• When you make a friend/connection request, remind

them of how you met and why you want to connect.• Don’t send out generic spam. If you want to connect

with someone you haven’t met, give the specific reason you are sending them a message and mention your mutual connections if you have any.

Job Searching via Social Media Sites

• Surveys indicate that the #1 mistake an applicant can make is not knowing enough about the company when applying and during an interview.

• Social media sites can help you:– Find companies you want to contact.– Find out what the company values are.– Find connections at the company based on who is posting

to the company sites.– Contact those connections to learn who makes the hiring

decisions at the company & what the job outlook is for that company.

Job Searching via Social Media Sites cont.• To demonstrate how

widespread the use of social networking sites are, we will look at a few local companies in the following slides.

• Here is a local company’s career site which provides links for following the company on LinkedIn, Facebook & Twitter. By following the company, you will be the first to know when an opening becomes available.

Job Searching via Social Media Sites cont.There are several job feeds on Twitter. This is an example of one that you can access without being a member of Twitter. Just enter http://twitter.com/kentuckyjobspay in your web browser’s address bar.

Job Searching via Social Media Sites cont. This is an example of how Facebook can help you learn about job openings. As this company is hiring immediately, the position was most likely filled without ever being posted in the newspaper.

Job Searching via Social Media Sites cont.

This is an example of a job posted in the LinkedIn website. LinkedIn allows you to make connections based on your work history and your email contacts. The rest of the class will cover how to set up a LinkedIn account. I will point out some of the features of LinkedIn, then anyone who wants to set up an account can stay after the presentation.

Creating a LinkedIn AccountTo set up an account, go to www.LinkedIn.com. When you sign up, be sure to use the email address you will be using on your resume.

Creating a LinkedIn Account cont.After you create your account, you will be asked to confirm your email and have the chance to import your contacts into LinkedIn to make a connection with contacts who are already members. A connection is similar to a friend request in Facebook.

Creating a LinkedIn Account cont.By going to Contacts, then Add Connections, you can add contacts from other email accounts. Just type another email in the “Your email” section and the password that goes with that email. If any of your contacts are already LinkedIn members they will appear in the next screen.

Creating a LinkedIn Account cont.The “Home” section of your LinkedIn account offers suggestions of groups you can join or job openings in your field. Joining a group is a good way to meet people in your career field or, if changing careers, to learn the technical jargon of that field.

Creating a LinkedIn Account cont.

On the profile page, you can fill out information about your work history or import a resume to have the program fill in your work history.

Creating a LinkedIn Account cont.An important part of LinkedIn is that you can search for companies and follow them to get updates on company news and a list of employees of the company on LinkedIn. Once you are following a company, you have the ability to send messages to those employees in the company with LinkedIn accounts.

If you would like to create a LinkedIn account, please stay after the Q&A

session