Job Search Using Social Media PMI

© 2016 KEMSI & Witmer Group
Smart Ways to Use Social Media
in Your Job Search
Sylvia Karmanoff
Kristina Witmer

Workshop Topics
1. Techniques to figure out
who to target
2. Methods to uncover job
opportunities

Let’s think about who to target…
• Uncover your strengths and interests
• Employment questions to ask yourself
• Plan where to focus your search
• Exercise: Creating a Marketing Plan

Uncover your Strengths and Interests
• Large number of assessment tools
(online & through community colleges)
• Key questions:
– What makes you happy?
– What motivates you in a positive way?
– What are your primary skills?
– Are there skills you want to learn or grow?
• Make a list of your motivators and skills
Use the answers to help define the types of jobs
and industries where you would like to work

Employment Questions
• How badly do I need money?
• Do I need to find a part time job to cover the bills?
• Am I willing to work as a contractor or consultant?
• Am I willing to relocate or work remotely?
• Do I have the financial ability to hold out for the right job
or should I take the first available?
• Do I need training or certifications?
• How can my spouse and children help out?
While you have to be realistic, some compromises may end
up hurting you more than they help.

“But, I just want a job. I don't care what it is.”
• Shotgun approach doesn’t work
– Frustrating
– Hard to manage
– Impossible to measure progress
• Targeted approach
– Focus your energies
– Develop materials to promote
yourself
– Monitor progress and make
adjustments

Turn to your workbook…
• Finish these sentences:
– I want to work in the ______________ (industry or
organization)
– The company should be ___________ in size (either
in terms of employees, revenues or other criteria)
– I would like the job title __________________
– The position is located in ____________ (region)
• Repeat this process until you have listed all of
the positions you want to target
• Rank the list, with #1 being your most desired
position
*The Five O’Clock Club, Inc.

Example Job Descriptions
1. A project manager in the commercial construction
industry in Collin County, TX
2. A project manager in the commercial construction
industry in Texas, Oklahoma, or Louisiana
3. A project manager in the housing construction
industry in DFW

Who to Target (continued)
• For each of your target positions
– How many companies or organizations are there?
– List these companies
– Research them
– Rank the companies
• These are the companies you're interested in and where
you will be valuable
This is the beginning of your “Career Marketing Plan"

Exercise: Start your Marketing Plan
• Use the Handout to address
– Employment questions
– Target functions/positions
• Next, rank the Target Functions
• Calculate the number of probable positions
– If the number is between 100-300, go to the next step
– If the number is less than 100, add some more functions to
target
• This exercise may take a couple of weeks to complete
• For today – Get started and ask questions!

Now you know who to look for!

How do you find out about job
opportunities?

There are a lot of sources available…
Job
Boards
News
Feeds
Company
Websites
Networking
Groups
Recruiters
Word of
Mouth
Prof .Orgs
&
Assoc.
Signs &
Billboards
Social
Media
Job
Search
Clubs
Referrals
Informational
Interviews

Wouldn’t it be great to meet the person who
can actually hire you?

The Search is On!
• Access your personal network
• Look outside of your personal network
– Company marketing Information & press releases
– Search LinkedIn, Facebook, etc.
• Participate in events
• Meetups, Industry conferences & webinars
• Use recruiters & search firms
• Use social media

So, how does this work?

What we know:
• We need to target the hiring manager / decision
maker and not rely solely on HR or employment
automation tools
– “Sales pros prospect for the “right” person – the
decision maker”
• Social tools have different purposes for research
and personal branding
• Your target individual may use various social
tools differently or not at all

Online Research: Job Opportunities
• Start with Google
• Typical job sites
include
• Indeed.com
• Monster.com
• Simplehired.com
• Careerbuilder.com

Online Research Job Detail
• Find a Specific Job that’s of interest

Ways to find the Hiring Manager
• Use LinkedIn
• Call the company
• Ask your network
• Visit the company’s website
• Checkout business research
sites
There is nothing that works 100
percent of the time, but do
everything within your power to
uncover this important information

Online Research Company Info
• Follow the company page on LinkedIn
• Read their recent updates for insight

• See how you are connected to employees
• Filter results (location, current co, job function, etc)

• How well do you know your connection or the
2nd degree connection?

Get a Name
• Ask your inside resource for information
• Ask them for an introduction (email, LinkedIn
connection, phone call, etc.)

Once you know you your target…
1. How does the hiring
manager
communicate online?
2. Are they active on
their LinkedIn profile?
3. Do they have a
Facebook, Instagram,
twitter or google plus
account?

What Can We Find out About…
• While waiting for the
introduction start the
research

What We’ve Learned

• More common names like ‘Patrick James’ can
sometimes be tricky to find more information
• Sometimes the trail ends and you continue to
look at others within the company

What We’ve Learned
• In addition to the basics, we
see Loren Lacy has a semi-
active Twitter account
• At the very least follow his
news feed for latest
updates
• While you are at it, next
time he posts something of
interest, retweet it. He will
likely see your name
TO DO:
• Make sure your profile is
clear about what business
you work in, and post a few
tweets showing PM related
topics, news, etc.

Online Research: Job Opportunities
• Search on Twitter

• While you are building
your twittersphere, do
some searching
around and see what
gems are out there.

Create Relevant & Targeted Profiles
• Build compelling, professional
profiles. LinkedIn.
• Twitter, and Google+ are
also valuable.
• These profiles should
demonstrate what you've
accomplished, where your
strengths are and what you
can offer future employers.
• Enhance your profile and
utilize key words related to
jobs and business you’d like to
be considered for. On
LinkedIn frequency and
specificity can be huge.

Approach
Twitter
• Start small and follow a
few select individuals.
• Re-share and directly
engage with influencers
and target companies.
• Do searches and find
local, industry specific or
editorial accounts related
to Project Management.

Approach
Facebook
• Be transparent and
assume potential
employers have seen
your news feed.
• Check your privacy
settings and make sure
you are comfortable with
the level of visibility.
LinkedIn
• Show your professional
self with your resume,
picture and affiliations.
• Directly engage with
companies of interest.
• Stay in a professional
mindset at all times.
• Get a professional
headshot – no selfies.

Become an Influencer
• Help out others by
answering questions
• Sharing knowledge
• Link to quality content
• Use LinkedIn and
Twitter primarily for
these efforts

Things to Think About
• Most recruiters will check out
your social network profiles.
Use this to your advantage.
• It’s important to have profiles on
LinkedIn, and another platform if
possible.
• Recruiters liked to see
memberships and affiliations
with professional organizations.
• Poor grammar and spelling
mistakes are worse than writing
about your latest binge-drinking
adventure.

What’s Your Next Step?
1. What’s your strategy? How will you get your information
in front of your ideal target?
2. Embrace at least two social platforms (LinkedIn, Twitter,
Google+, YouTube, Instagram).
3. Identify your fears and what’s stopping you from
creating a more solid online brand.
4. Do you know your personal brand and what you ‘bring
to the table’?
5. Consider writing and sharing original content via a blog.

Tips for Creating Your Brand
• Google yourself
– Clean up Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube profiles/postings
– Clean up photos and comments on Twitter, Snapchat, Flikr, etc.
• Create LinkedIn profile
– Make sure profile matches and supports your resume
– Get recommendations from work associates and customers
• Create a website
– Sample work product: documents, designs
– Links to patents and publications
– Recommendations and references
– Example: http//gnish.com
– Don’t include company confidential material
• Start a blog

Good luck with your search!
Sylvia Karmanoff
karmanoff@kemsicorp.com
214-227-6432
Kristina Witmer
kristina@witmergroup.com
214-865-9484

Job Search Using Social Media PMI

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