Graduation season is right around the corner. A collection of fresh, new professionals is popping into the job market, eager to start their career search on the right foot. Most new graduate career search excitement focuses on things like locating the perfect job position or crafting a resume that results in better job offers, but an ideal new grad career search strategy also needs a solid social media plan. You can have the best cover letter and most articulate interview questions in the world, but if your social media contains unprofessional content, your application will likely end up in the rejection pile. 

Social Media Affects Your Career Search

More than 90% of all employers use social media to find candidates, post open positions, and peek into the personal lives of potential hires. A hiring manager’s job is to find the most qualified person for the job while also assessing longevity, compatibility, dependability, and growth potential. An interview provides a limited window into an individual; employers are eager to learn everything they can about potential new hires before agreeing to invest their time and money into a new employee. 

Social media impacts your career search by offering employers the chance to explore beyond the cover letter and to ensure you’re not only a good fit for the role, but also the organizational culture of the company. Nearly 80% of HR professionals admit they’ve rejected a candidate because of misaligned, unprofessional social media content. Aligning your social media to your career search goals helps relieve perceived risks associated with hiring someone new and provides support and insight into organizational compatibility. 

Professional Social Media Checklist

Photos of a recent beer pong tournament or bar hop event are unlikely to make the best impression on potential employers. Similarly, rants about exes, politics, and polarizing topics can immediately throw you out of the running during your career search. Take a moment before you start applying to jobs to follow a few career search social media best practices.

• Update your privacy settings to remove public posts, photos, and tags
• Ensure any links you publicly share are professional and appropriate for work
• Update your About Me settings – no “School of Hard Knocks” or “Nonya Biznus” answers to education, career, and location questions – and while you’re at it, update your email address to a google account, keeping it professional to include your name with no graduation or birthdate years attached
• Use a professional profile photo – if you don’t have a professional photo, connect with an expert branding photographer to schedule a professional photoshoot or use a professional online photo service to upgrade a professional selfie
• Publicly join professional social media networking groups, specifically those within your career search’s focal industry
• Watch what you say, who you engage with, and who you follow – stay away from controversial people, organizations, and topics
• Don’t harass, put down, or be offensive online – this includes reviews, comments, likes, follows, shares, and reactions – keep it professional

Career Search Social Media Strategies

Social media poses more than a few major risks to career search success. Public social media engagement can, however, also be a helpful tool that advances your career search in unique ways. Capitalize on online employer engagement by using your social media profiles to your advantage. 

LinkedIn – use it! LinkedIn is the best way to socially network online while staying professional. Ensure your content stays relevant to your career search – this is not the place to post pictures of your puppy! Stick with industry-specific shares, knowledge, and engagement.  

Showcase your achievements. Use the public components of your social media profiles to show off your hard-earned achievements. Post that employee of the month award, talk about successful client engagements, and share photos of your graduation cap and gown. Employers want to see your successes. 

Link to relevant newscasts, projects, and articles. If your career search is centered on the manufacturing industry, share articles about innovative manufacturing advancements. Display new, creative ideas in the industry you’re targeting to show you’re invested in your field. Who knows, maybe your potential employer will want to learn more from you!

Publicly attend continuing ed events. Use public social media event posts to show active participation in your industry and dedication to growth. RSVP to local and global events that further your education in your chosen career search field. Not only will this help your social media professional engagement, but events like these may add more to your resume. 

Showcase appropriate personal interests. Did you recently complete a marathon? Post the photo! Volunteer at a local shelter? Share about your experience. Personal interests often correspond well with workplace skills. Employers are real people who understand life exists outside the workplace. Make sure they see your life choices are positive and connect well to company goals.
Potential employers love to check social media to get a clear picture of the person they may hire. Put your best foot forward and provide all the information employers need to determine you’re the best match for their role by adhering to a professional social media strategy. Your social media strategy will boost your career search success in a passive, yet impactful way. Struggling to find the perfect words for your profile? Reach out to Zoetic Resume and Writing Services to get a firsthand, professional look into your career search social media strategy and learn how together we can take your online personal brand to the next level.