Sharing Online - Individuals
Just like a business, you need to be visible for people to notice you. If you have a profile where nothing happens most of the time, you might as well not have it. Google uses bots called web crawlers to find new content on websites 24/7. If they hit your site and find nothing new, they take longer to return to your site. These bots work similarly in many of the social media platforms. So, if you do nothing, you get nothing.
Sharing updates on social media lets employers know about your job search activity. It also gives you a place to share your thoughts related to your career field.
Getting Started
In marketing, companies post when their customers will likely be watching. For example, a tutoring company might post to Facebook or Instagram at lunchtime, or after school as parents are picking up kids or waiting for them at practices. This is a great practice for job searching as well.
As a job seeker, your prime time to post might be first thing in the morning or at lunch time. Say your target is a large company that has a Human Resources department. You could post any time of the work day for that business so that the HR staff can see it. Remember that HR staff often look at social media profiles, especially if you've just applied for a job.
You might think, what can I post? Here are a few examples:
- Opinions on articles others wrote (giving full credit to the author).
- A summary of a research paper in your field.
- Posts from companies that interest you.
- New content you have created.
- Research results you have compiled.
- Infographics relating to your industry.
- Answers to questions in forums.
- Questions and answers in LinkedIn groups.
- Check-ins and images from networking events or training opportunities you are participating in.
Don't treat the above points as a checklist! In fact, it's just a sampler of all the things you can post on social media. Using these sites shouldn't be a chore, but you'll need to show that you're active. In addition to posting, you can also like and comment on other posts to keep your account "hot."
You may ask, how often should posts go out? Remember that it takes five to seven times for someone to remember seeing your name. It can take as many as 21 times for someone to act after seeing your name. This comes from Marketing 101.
On many social media channels, people do not see every post from people they follow. The more connections a person has in a network, the more posts they can potentially see. If you're actively job hunting, try to share or participate three to five times a week.
Tip: To gain attention on your posts, tag a person in that specific post. Most social media sites have a "mention" feature that alerts a user when someone uses their name in a post. To do this, use the "@" symbol, followed by the person's name you are trying to reach.
Dos and Don'ts
Whatever you post on social media, keep these points in mind:
Do:
- Keep it clean and professional.
- Be consistent.
- Stay on target.
- Know your audience.
- Review security settings on each platform.
Don't:
- Share too much information.
- Show your wild side. Be sure to keep a filter for your social profiles.
- Post things expressing provocative ideas. In other words, don't stir up drama.
Overall, your posts should show that you are staying current in your field. It should not make an employer have second thoughts about your value to their company.