Getting grief from friends and family for sitting on your backside all day instead of going out and finding a job is something I am used to, but as much as I like interacting with people face to face, I feel that surfing the internet is a more practical solution. I must stress that I am not a lazy person, but by adopting this method of job searching I save time and energy. Both parties can benefit from networking sites such as LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and blogs for this reason.
To use these networking sites properly you need to adopt a job searching strategy. It is important to maintain a professional appearance and attitude, so the first thing to do is remove that photo of you dressed as a smurf crying into an empty bottle of Jack Daniel’s.
Being clear on your job preferences is also very important, as so is getting good testimonials on your profile page. All in all, being professional and precise is the key to getting a job through social media.
The downside to job searching using your PC is you only get to see what people want you to see. Let me give you an example. If looking for a job in admin, you could find jobs that sound ideal for you and feel the need to apply for the job there and then via email. Whereas if you take the time to visit the company office with CV in hand and smile on face, the employer will appreciate that you have taken time from your schedule to visit. Getting a general vibe of the workplace is important to know whether the job is right for you. You could end up working with people you hate, which could end disastrous at the Christmas party.
Although there are positives and negatives to using social media to search for jobs, on the whole, there positives are greater. Imagine how many job opportunities can arise using this method; you’ll be rolling in work! The technology is there in your front rooms, so make the most of it and network until you cannot network no more. Your future could be a mouse click away, so……get surfing!
