Wondering how to leverage social media to advance your job search? This presentation, delivered at the Corridor Careers Job Fair on October 29, 2014, highlights features of LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, and Google+ and how to use them to your advantage to land your next job.

1. Social Media Strategies for
Career Success
Kalindi Garvin, Career Communication Strategies

2. How Important is Social Media?
 69% of recruiters expect competition for
jobs to increase in 2015.
 55% have eliminated a candidate based
on online information (up 13% from 2013).
 73% of recruiters plan to increase their
investment in social recruiting in 2014.
 While 83% of job seekers flock to
Facebook, LinkedIn remains recruiters’
top social network.
100%
80%
60%
40%
20%
Source: Jobvite Social Recruiting Survey 2014 0%
Social Networks used for
Recruiting
LinkedIn Facebook Twitter G+

3. Social Networks and Recruiting
Recruiting on social networks
73% of recruiters have HIRED a
candidate through social media.

4. What are Recruiters Looking For?
 Professional Experience
 Length of Professional Tenure
 Industry-Related Posts
 Mutual Connections
 Specific Hard Skills
 Cultural Fit
 Examples of Written or Design Work
 93% of recruiters will
review a candidate’s
social media profile before
making a hiring decision.

5. Brand or be BRANDED
 If you aren’t managing your personal brand online, it’s still being formed (but without
your input).
 Your online identity is determined not only by what you post, but also by what others
post about you.
 Photo tags. Public status updates. Blog mentions.
 Google search results are a combination of information you’ve posted and
information published by others.
 Be the author of your online identity by taking a strategic, proactive approach to
managing your online presence.

6. Assess Your Presence
 Google yourself
 If you have a Google account (i.e., Gmail
or YouTube), you will get different results if
you are logged into your Google account.
 Log out of Google so you can see what
others see when they Google your
name.
 If you have a common name, narrow
results by your profession or geographic
location.
 “John Smith Public Relations Iowa”
 Online Identity Calculator
(http://www.onlineidcalculator.com)
 Stay posted on new online
information through Google Alerts
http://www.google.com/alerts

7. Deflect Digital Dirt
 Negative information about you online is referred to as “digital dirt.”
 One effective strategy for managing your online reputation is to “bury” your
digital dirt
 Removing (or requesting removal) and/or correcting incorrect or inappropriate
information
 Posting new content (move unfavorable information lower in your search
results)
 Register your name as a domain name
 Claim your name on social media accounts
 Use sites like BrandYourself.com and About.me to create positive profiles

8. LinkedIn
 LinkedIn is one of the most effective ways to establish an online presence.
 Your LinkedIn profile will usually rank on the 1st or 2nd page of Google
 LinkedIn should complement your resume, not duplicate it.
 Add project highlights, multimedia presentations, links, and other information about your interests,
achievements, and work.
 Start with an appropriate photo.
 Not having a photo is detrimental!
http://thingscareerrelated.com/tag/linkedin-photo/

9. Strategies for LinkedIn
 Customize your URL
 Maximize your professional summary.
 Write conversationally in the 1st person.
 Grab your audience through a
compelling headline (120 characters)
 Search results show: your name, headline,
and location
 The default is title/company
 The most difficult part of creating
your LinkedIn profile is sounding
original.
 Articulate your unique brand
 What sets you apart?
 Groups and Companies
 Joining groups and following
companies can increase your
exposure.

10. Keywords
 Keywords are a list of words and phrases that are related to your work.
 Words that a prospective employer would search for when trying to find someone like
you.
 LinkedIn headlines are searchable fields using the “People Search” function when
someone is looking for particular skills, interests, qualifications, or credentials.
 You can also incorporate keywords throughout your LinkedIn profile:
 Your LinkedIn profile headline
 Current and former work experience
 LinkedIn summary section
 Specialties or Skills section

11. How NOT to Get Noticed on LinkedIn
 Turn off activity broadcasts and adjust who
can see your activity feed.
 Change it to Only You.
 Select the type of messages you’re willing to
receive.
 Do not select Career Opportunities, New
Ventures, or Job Inquiries
 Don’t participate in LinkedIn groups for job
seekers.
 Focus on job function specific groups or
industry groups instead (where you might be
found by recruiters and future employers)
 Cultivate recommendations and contacts
slowly.
 Don’t reveal confidential information about
the company
 Focus on how you’ve helped the company
stand out and be successful, not how you
stand out and are successful.
 Don’t upgrade to paid job seeker
membership (this shows up on your profile)

12. Facebook
 Review your privacy settings regularly!
 Remove and untag any inappropriate
photos, content, and posts.
 Graph Search
 Customize searches for places, friends,
interests, etc.
 Narrow in on specific companies, cities,
hobbies. (People who work at Rockwell
Collins in Cedar Rapids)
 Use privacy settings to control what others
can search about you.

13. The Overt Approach to Using Facebook in
your Job Search
 Share as much of your personal job search journey as you feel comfortable with in your status updates
 This might include posts about the fact that you’re searching for a new position
 “They’re closing my office. I have 30 days to find my next job.”
 What kind of job you’re looking for
 “Facebook friends: I’m looking for my next PR job in Omaha. Know anyone looking for a stellar pitchman with strong social
media expertise?”
 Requests for assistance
 “Does anyone know someone who works at Company X?”
 Progress in your job search
 “I have an interview today at my dream company — wish me luck!”
 Posting once a day about job search-related topics in your status can keep your search at the top of
your friends’ radar.

14. The Covert Approach to Using Facebook
in your Job Search
 The “covert” approach to job search is by using your Facebook Profile to establish yourself as a
“thought leader” in your field.
 Post professional content to your page to become recognized for your work accomplishments
 links to interesting articles or resources
 videos or presentations you’ve delivered
 work-related blog posts
 examples of your portfolio
 The key with a “covert” approach is establishing a balance of personal and professional content posted. You
don’t want your Facebook friends asking themselves, “Does she think this is LinkedIn?”
 Participation in work-related Groups can also raise your professional profile.
 Offer helpful advice, guidance, and feedback.

15. Facebook Apps
 BeKnown (www.beknown.com)
 Connects with Monster.com
 Draws on your Facebook connections to
build your account.
 BeKnown finds and recommends jobs for
you based on your skills and experience.
 You can search the Job Feed for
advertised opportunities, or look in the
Friends’ Jobs section to view jobs posted
by people in your network.
 Glassdoor (www.glassdoor.com)
 Salary information, company reviews,
actual interview questions, and more —
are posted by employees, jobseekers,
and company representatives.
 The site offers more than 2.5 million
salaries and company reviews.
Both of these applications can potentially compromise your privacy in a
confidential job search.

16. Twitter
 Benefits of using Twitter
 Short format response enables recruiters and hiring managers to quickly connect with
you
 Become known as a thought leader
 Add value by sharing and by posting original content
 Let your real personality shine through (but keep it professional!)

17. Hashtags (#) and Tweets
 Review timelines to determine hashtags to use
 Recruiters
 Industry leaders
 Target companies & insider/employees
 Use hashtags (#) with industry-specific terms
 Tweet to your network to gain key insights
#jobopening
#accounting (your industry) #jobs
#jobtips
#resume
#joblisting
 “Anyone know which manufacturers in Cedar Rapids are hiring?”
 “Can anyone suggest a good contact at [company]?”

18. Google+
 Why Google+?
 Google favors Google+ pages in search
 540M* active monthly users (Jan 2014)
 Create a compelling profile
 Connect to your LinkedIn profile, Twitter
account, blog, and other networks
 Write in 1st person
 Incorporate keywords
 Showcase your work through links, albums,
and images
 Create a great G+ Tagline (similar to your
LinkedIn headline)
 Start Circling
 G+ allows you to sort your contacts in to
Circles, each with their own privacy setting
 Circle industry experts and target
companies
 Join Communities
 Look for those dedicated to your industry
or expertise. Join and add value!
Source: Boot Camp Digital

19. Putting the Pieces Together
 Know your audience
 Where are they? Which medium will be
most effective to reach them?
 Maximize your time
 Use tools like Buffer or Hootsuite to
schedule social media updates
 Carve out regular time to interact on social
media. Stick to time limits!
 Be consistent in your career
communications
 Brand your email signature with a LinkedIn
badge or Twitter handle
 Align your resume, elevator pitch, business
cards, and other documents to
communicate the same message

20. Questions? Comments?