By Sarah K. – Pushing your career forward is all about getting noticed. With so many people trying to get employers’ attention, this can seem really difficult. Whenever a new job is posted online, hundreds (sometimes thousands) of people might apply for it at the same time. There is so much noise out there, and you have to make yourself the loudest, best sounding one. How can you do this? You can use social media to your advantage!
One of the best ways to stand above that crowd is to have an amazing online profile on social media all the time. That way, employers can see your profile before they even advertise the job. Additionally, if they do advertise the job and you apply with your CV, then they can go to your social media profiles to get even more information about you. That really helps you get fully noticed, and create a great first impression.
So, here are four simple steps on how you can use social media to start getting noticed online!
1. Put your info in the top three social media accounts
Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. LinkedIn is particularly important, as it’s one of the leading career development platforms in the world. If you can get your basic info onto all three of these sites, then you have made a really good start. On Facebook, fill in the About Me section, on Twitter fill in the Bio, and on LinkedIn, start your profile. Make sure you add these social accounts to your résumé, so your employer knows where to find you online.
2. Fully complete your LinkedIn profile
Now that you’re on LinkedIn, fill it out completely. This makes searching for jobs so much easier. It’s especially important to get all of your education and qualifications onto LinkedIn, particularly your online education as this really shows that you’ve gone the extra mile. It’s also a good opportunity to showcase all the hard work you’ve put in on Alison. So don’t forget to add Alison under the Education section. There is also a Certification section on LinkedIn where you can showcase your Alison certificate (if you’ve completed a course).
3. Showcase your work samples
So now you have a full online profile. That’s excellent. To make it even better, you have to keep updating it. Regularly post examples of your work to your different accounts. On LinkedIn, fill out Publications, Awards, Research, and even Skills over time. If you’re a photographer or a graphic designer, you can use photo-based platforms like Instagram or Pinterest to exhibit your work as you create it. Every post boosts your profile!
4. Participate in as many discussions as you can!
Now that you have a regularly updated online profile, start talking to people. Get involved in industry-specific conversations on Twitter, and start participating in group conversations on LinkedIn. Make sure you follow subject matter-experts, it’s a great way to progress your career. Learn from them and talk to them when you can. Sooner or later, someone you are talking to is going to check out your amazing bio. The next time that person needs to hire someone, they’ll think of you before they even advertise the job.
So what are you waiting for? Build your online profile and start getting noticed today!
