Did you know that 37% of employers are using social media to search for and research candidates? And 11% more are planning to start in the next year?
That is a whole lot of hiring managers that might come across you on Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn and get in touch with you because you seem like you might be the perfect fit for their job opening.
How can you optimize your social media presence for your job search? Let’s start with Facebook!
Just yesterday, Facebook gave everyone an email address on their system and made it the only address visible on your Profile:
Go to your “About” link on your Timeline and Edit your Contact Info to have your regular email address show on the Timeline and the Facebook address hidden. This way, if you want someone to be able to contact you via email from your Facebook Timeline, it will end up in your Inbox, not in Facebook’s.
We have talked earlier on the Artisan Blog about being careful what you post to Facebook and also what level of access you should allow potential employers. Here are a few more tips:
- Have a Facebook Page as well as a Profile. Use your Page as a place to put links to projects and things that are interesting to you as an entrepreneur. Put a link to your Page on your resume and your LinkedIn Profile.
- Don’t post anything publicly to Facebook that it would be illegal for an interviewer to ask you about. Facebook lets you customize the audience for your updates so that even if you are friends with business contacts, you don’t have to show them your more personal posts. Use your Privacy Settings wisely.
- If an interviewer asks for your Facebook Password, decline politely but firmly and, unless it’s your dream job, go on to your next interview. It is inappropriate to ask for your personal passwords for any social media platform.
Facebook’s settings change often—and just as often they don’t give anyone a head’s up. We here at Artisan will try to keep you up to date so check back for more help with social media and job search!
Wendy Stackhouse, for Artisan Creative