Last month, as part one of this two part series, we discussed how to create an online presence that showcases who you are and creates a good digital first impression for potential employers.
This month we will talk about how to entice those employers to your digital self, and land your next job through the use of social media.
Enticing employers through your resume
It’s time to bridge the gap between your paper resume and digital identity. Surprisingly, attempting this is still rare for many people, even as their portfolio and identity continually shift online.
But as the times change, so must our resumes.
The easiest way to do this is to simply start to acknowledge your personal website, blog, Linkedin page, or Twitter feed on your resume.
As we already know, employers are increasing searching these sites before employment decisions, so make it easy for them and guide them to where you want them to go. If the employer doesn’t have time to visit these sites, it at least signals that you’re transparent and technically savvy – both positive attributes to employers.
Going one step further, reconstructing your resume online gives you the ability to add hyperlinks, making your resume more of an online portfolio. Using links enables you to showcase news articles, press releases, photos, or video of your past achievements and allow potential employers to not only read what you’ve done, but experience it.
Or if you’d like to get really creative and stand out from the crowd, a QR code on your resume is an advanced and unique way to pull people to your digital content.
If you go this route, a few things should be kept in mind to make your QR code more effective:
- Provide A Shortened Link- The majority of people today still don’t have a smartphone that can read a QR code, so provide a shortened link from a service like Bit.ly with the QR code so every employer can reach your content. The QR code is meant to stand out on your resume, not exclude potential employers.
- Use Video or Multimedia- Use QR Codes to impress employers and add value to your resume by directing them to useful content. Employers do not want to squint at your Linkedin page or blog on their smartphone, so don’t send them there.
Instead, try a thirty-second YouTube video that thanks the employer for their time and gives your personal elevator pitch. This allows them to put a face to the resume and showcase your unique personality. Multimedia like this is not only suitable and effective, but will help yours stand out among the other resumes.
- Test your QR code- The smaller the code is on your resume and the more complex it is, the harder it is for phones to read. Shorten any URLs before embedding them and test the QR code by scanning it first.
Enticing Employers Though Social Media
While your first contact with employers is traditionally through your resume, a growing number of employers are venturing out onto social media platforms to advertise job openings and search for new employees.
It’s time to put your social media accounts to work for your job search.
The best way to start is to first define which companies and industries you’re interested in and then start Following, Connecting, and Liking them. This’ll allow you to immediately see when companies have new openings – particularly big organisations that are already using social media for hiring such as Starbucks.
But the real value lies with small and medium size companies where more two-way communication is possible. These connections give you the opportunity to start building a relationship with a company and showcasing your personal brand.
Since you rarely know who is operating a company’s social media account (and in a small company it might just be the person who is in charge of hiring), it’s in your interest to build your relationship and creditability now, rather than after you’ve just applied for the job.
Building and maintaining an online presence is an ongoing, and often time consuming effort to say the least. But remembering to refine your personal brand, build your online presence, and use creative ways to connect to your employers will set you apart from the crowd, and hopefully land you the job you’ve been searching for. Good Luck!