Coronavirus
Updates: Colleges & Business Units | Commercial Outlets and Nurseries
Advice for: Students, Parents and Carers | College Applicants | Apprentices
Updates: Colleges & Business Units | Commercial Outlets and Nurseries
Advice for: Students, Parents and Carers | College Applicants | Apprentices
As the world moved into the digital era, you could apply for jobs online in just a few short clicks. This made applying for a job a lot easier, but because of this, you must now ensure that you stand out from the crowd.
Most of you will have Social Media profiles, and if you don’t – it’s likely that you will know how to set one up and use it. Whilst it’s great for chatting with friends and sharing pictures, did you know that you can also use it to find a job in a field you are interested in? Here’s how:
LinkedIn is a useful social media platform that has really taken off in the world of employment. It displays your profile in the style of a CV, letting companies and recruiters view your employment history, your skills, and your achievements.
Is there an industry you are passionate about? Connect with local businesses and find out more about them. Remember to stay professional as everything you do is visible. It’s great to be discovered, but not so good if you’re using the platform unprofessionally.
If you’re unsure about how to reach out to companies, speak to your Industry Liaison Officer or our Careers Advisors, who will be more than happy to give you the advice you need.
Due to the success of social media platforms like Instagram and Facebook, you have a captive audience out there, waiting to see what you can do.
Are you an artist or a photographer? Share your best work on Instagram. Want to show off a new track that you’ve recorded with your band? Promote it on Facebook for followers to listen to.
You could take it one step further and create a separate account or blog to show off your success. Share videos of your choreography or how-to guides for a new makeup look. The possibilities are endless, and you could find yourself connecting with others who have the same interests as you, who could inspire and encourage you to take your skills to the next level. It is important to network with likeminded people, as who you know is as important as what you know. College provides you with industry placement opportunities for its students to ensure you have the best start to networking.
According to a 2018 survey, 70 percent of employers use social media to check out candidates during their hiring process. That's why it's important to always be careful what you say on social media. Chances are, you've had your profiles for a long time, so there may be statuses and pictures that you don't remember uploading, and they may not reflect too well on you.
Take time to review your profiles and ensure there is nothing embarrassing or inappropriate. That way, there will be no awkward conversations during the interview process.
Use your social media profiles to follow or ‘like’ companies that you are interested in working for. Many businesses use their social media channels to post vacancies, so you will always be the first to know if they have a role that you would like to apply for.
Aside from posting jobs, they will likely give you an insight into what a day-in-the-life at their company would be like. Interact with the accounts, most of the time they will be happy to answer any questions about what they do.
Have you ever had success finding a job through social media? Whether a company has reached out to you because they love your work, or if you found your dream job by scrolling through Instagram – we’d love to hear about it.
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