How Social Media has Changed the Job Search
I created this video (click hyperlink “How Social Media has Changed the Job Search” to view) originally to demonstrate some pretty fascinating statistics about the power of social media in a job search. However, this information is equally relevant to career management. One of the strategies for establishing your personal brand online includes building profiles on professional platforms. Naturally, if you are working within a company, you will want to adhere to the company’s social media policies.
Top 5 Social Media Platforms for Career Management
How is building and participating on social media platforms helpful in career management? Networking and showing your expertise/thought leadership! Laurie Smith stated in her article, “Using Social Media as a Career Management Tool,” there are five main tools that are especially effective for business owners, executives, and professionals looking to manage their career. They include:
- YouTube
- Blogging
Key Ingredient BEFORE Building an Online Presence
Remember, unlocking and leveraging your personal brand is the critical step prior to building online results. Why? Simply, you want to establish your expertise in the area(s) that best match your long-range goals.
Interestingly, Kelly Global Workforce Index™ reported on Nov. 11, 2010 that Americans say personal “branding” is key to employment opportunities. The traits individuals identified as most important in this article include:
* Verbal Communication Skills
* Technical Knowledge
* Resumes
* Written Communications
* Personal Attire
* Use of Social Media
During the next several articles, I will take you through steps to establish yourself and build your presence on these five platforms, giving you resources along the way. We’ll start with LinkedIn and look at building a stellar profile, importance of keywords (and a little known tip for a keyword-rich profile), must-have apps for your profile, building your network, and many more.
This article first appeared on Classroom to Cubicle and is cross-posted at Career Design Coach.
Kristen Jacoway is the founder of Career Design Coach, providing professional speaking, training, and one-on-one consultation focused on next-generation career marketing services. She wrote the book, “I’m in a Job Search-Now What???” and the book has frequently ranked in the Top 100 in its’ category on Amazon.
