You already use the Internet to find potential employers, but did you know that you can also use it to help them find you? These strategies will keep you from getting lost in the shuffle.
1. Complete and/or update all your social media profiles.
This may seem obvious, but you wouldn’t be the first to create a profile on LinkedIn, then forget about it for five years. Check that they all contain a complete work history, a professional looking photo and anything else you want recruiters to see. It’s a pretty sure bet that they’ll be looking!
2. SEO yourself.
Search Engine Optimization is a trick that websites use to get search engines like Google to display their URL whenever people search for whatever that site sells. For example, a jewelry website would fill its content with words/phrases like “gold jewelry” and “diamond rings.” You can do the same: sprinkle your resume, online profiles and posts with keywords and meta tags that match the ones used by the job postings you’re interested in.
3. Show, don’t just tell.
Provide visible proof on your social pages that you’re the best one for the job. Upload samples of your work, awards or recommendations you’ve received, links to other sites that mention your work, and/or a video of yourself giving your elevator speech (30-second statement of what you’re all about professionally). The video can also show how your personality will fit in the corporate culture. And don’t forget to put it on YouTube!
4. Spread your name around.
Post comments and information on websites, blogs and discussion groups related to your career field. Link back to your own blog or website if it’s relevant. Ideally, you’ve been doing this for a while already, and your name is popping up everywhere the recruiter looks.
5. Make a personal connection.
This tactic can sometimes work brilliantly, or it can blow up in your face. What you do is search the company’s website for the name of their hiring manager. Check that person’s Facebook and LinkedIn pages to see if you have any friends in common; then ask the friend for an introduction. But for heaven’s sake, don’t try friending the recruiter directly, you’ll just look stalkery.
If you only respond to job board postings, your resume could get buried among hundreds of others. But by making social media work for you, you can ensure that recruiters don’t miss you and your qualifications.And that’s half the battle!
