Using Social Media To Land Your Dream Job

The topic of discussion was a personal favorite of mine… social media. But this wasn’t your typical class. The main focus was how students and recent graduates can take advantage of their social media platforms to help them earn a job or internship.

Even though I have only been out of college for just over a year now, it was interesting to hear the different perspectives students had. To my amazement, the majority of students were under the impression that social media could not help them in any way. Boy were they in for a surprise!

The job market is extremely competitive and leveraging your social media profiles is a smart move to help you get in the door before anyone else. I always like to think of social media as a first impression. Employers are going to see your online presence before they even meet you. And just like most first impressions, it will most likely determine whether they are going to like you or not.

You should also view your social media profiles as a way to market yourself. What do you want potential employers to know about you? That you love baseball? You went abroad for a semester? You are involved in Greek life? Take advantage of your social media profiles and highlight your passion and expertise.

In my opinion, a blog is the best way to stand out of a crowd and tell your “brand” story. Blogs allow you to go into more detail about your skills and experiences. In addition, your blog articles can be easily shared on other social media platforms like Twitter and Facebook.

Additionally, starting your own blog shows potential employers that you are proactive and demonstrates thought leadership, which are extremely valuable traits to have in any type of business.

With hundreds of students and recent graduates applying for the same internships and entry-level positions, you have to find your own unique way to stand out of all the resumes and social media is the ideal environment.