13/08/2010
Social networking and the internet in recruitment
Whether you like it or not social media and the internet is now very much part of everyday life, from #hashtags to being ‘tagged’, our names and what we’re doing is now very much in the public domain.
But, what role does social media play in our careers and job seeking ability? The first port of call would be to ‘google yourself’, see what’s out there about you for all to see, as this could also be the first thing a prospective employer/client does. If you have a facebook account, look into your settings, unless you want strangers seeing you in your swimwear on that recent holiday….!
Positive steps in ensuring you are well connected and seen by who you’d like to be seen by, would be to get yourself on Linkedin. It’s a reputable website where you can connect with present and previous colleagues and clients as well as get recommendations about your work. Don’t make the mistake of thinking that once your set up that’s all there is to it. You need to ensure you keep your profile up-to-date, use it as a living cv (read more about this here).
It also doesn’t hurt to try something new to get the attention of a prospective employer (within reason). The recent story of Alec Brownstein who managed to get a job in advertising just goes to show how thinking outside the norm works. Alec set up a Google pay per click campaign at a cost of just $6 using the names of Creative Directors at the advertising agencies he wanted to work at. He knew they would eventually Google their own names, and when they did his advert appeared first in their search results. Clever! See if Alec got the job
What experiences have you had in using the internet and social networking in jobseeking?