Using Social Media to improve your employability?

Being a student is difficult enough without the added pressure of sourcing placements, internships and securing a post-graduate position. But social media is easing that problem for students who are willing to use it to their advantage.

With the majority of students using social media in their personal lives it seems only fitting that they extend their social media footprint to include platforms that could help them find employment.

Here are some tips to landing a job via social media

Twitter: 

1. The search engine imbedded in twitter is a great way to start a job search. Searching terms such as ‘PR internship’ or ‘post-graduate scheme’ can bring up an a range of tweets that may fit what a job-seeker is looking for. You can also search for positions in your region or specific city you are interested in worked in. 
2. Tweeting is a great way to express your opinions and share your knowledge, but it is also a brilliant way to network with professionals from the industry you are aiming to join. Tweeting interesting content often is a great way to show your interest in the field. Employers will often search potential applicants social media profiles so ensure your twitter feed includes content related to your industry is a key way to stand out and back up your CV claims. 
3. Searching through relevant hashtags will also potentially find you employment opportunities. Businesses will often announce job opening via twitter including a hashtag such as ‘jobopportunity’ or in the case of students ‘studentopportunity’. There are also several employment hashtag trends to be aware of in the PR world such as #PRjobs and #PRintern but also more specifically #UKfashionintern and #PRstudent. 
4. It is also important to follow as many professionals as possible. They may tweet tips or advice for job seekers, but it is also likely that the content they tweet will be relevant to your profession. There are also many twitter accounts dedicating to posting job opportunities

LinkedIn

Surely the most professional social media platform it is an easy tool to use for students.

1. Connections are a vital part of LinkedIn. Connecting to professionals in a field you are interested in is a great way to start networking. 
2. Job boards are available on LinkedIn which shows job opportunities, some of which might be relavent for students or post-graduates.
3. Recommendations and Endorsements is one of the social elements of LinkedIn and enables your connections to back up your CV claims, showing potential employers your skills.
4. Show of your work experience! Detail as much of your experience as possible, you never know what an employer is looking for and unlike other social media platforms LinkedIn does not limit your content.

Blogging

Starting a blog is a great way to showcase your ability, especially in a profession like PR.

1. Be specific. Make your blog specific to a topic. For example if you are interested in PR and rugby perhaps start a blog specifically about the use of PR in the game of Rugby. If your blog is to wide in topic you may lose focus and employers will notice.
2. Update regularly. Running a blog can be difficult, however ensure that it is regularly updated shows to potential employers that you are dedicated to the profession. 
3. Blogging is also a great way to make connections. Follow industry based blogs and add interesting comments to posts might just get your noticed.
4. Being a student is difficult enough without the added pressure of sourcing placements, internships and securing a post-graduate position. But social media is easing that problem for students who are willing to use it to their advantage.