Tips for Getting a Job Using Social Media

By Mack Gelber, Monster contributor

Social media has long since proven itself to have utility beyond tweeting at celebrities and creeping on photos of old high school classmates. Nowadays, it can be a powerful self-promotional tool—and more than ever, social media and your job search go hand in hand. Recruiters are turning to such sites to seek out their next hires. Getting a job using social media is not only possible, it's also commonplace.

One study reported that 67% of employers screen candidates through social platforms, and 54% have disqualified job candidates after viewing their social media. Those are the kinds of numbers that should make you whip out your phone and swiftly delete those beer bong shots from Facebook. In fact, a full social media clean up may be in order.

Regardless of how concerned you are, you should be aware of how social media and your job search overlap, and do everything you can to make your online self as attractive to potential employers as the genuine article. These are the eight main things you can do to increase your chances of getting a job using social media, in order of importance.

How to Use Social Media to Get a Job

1. Have a Complete (and Relevant) Profile

In order to know how to use social media to get a job, you need to—wait for it—have an established presence on social media. That means make sure your profile is fully loaded with your complete employment history, education, as well as any skills related to your job. Try to think through the eyes of a recruiter—no one wants to see a half-written resume, or worse, a big empty space.

2. Keep It Professional

Those beer bong photos we mentioned? Toss ’em. Nothing is truly private on the internet, and it would be a shame to miss out on a potential job opportunity because of unsavory social posts, say, like some embarrassing Cinco de Mayo shots from four years ago. You’re better off assuming that if you wouldn’t want your mother to see something, it’s best kept offline…or at least under maximum, friends-only security settings.

3. Join Career-Relevant Groups

Social media is full of great groups that can connect you with likeminded job seekers and offer industry-specific insights. It’s also full of groups like “Cat Videos and Cake Pictures”—which, while still very compelling, may not be immediately relevant to your career interests. It’s fine to join a couple of these, but make sure you’re primarily participating in groups that relate to your actual or targeted job.

4. Highlight Skills and Achievements That Help Employers

In your profile summary and career history, be judicious about what you choose to bring to the forefront. We don’t need to know about how you organized the office softball league, took them to the championship, and have a team of interns polish your trophies every night. Instead, try talking about specific goals you’ve met, and fortify your claims with numbers. For example: “Delivered target of $X in added revenue while cutting costs by X%.”

5. Update Your Profile Frequently

In order for you to increase your odds of getting a job using social media, you have to, you know, use social media. Meaning, don't just create a profile and let it collect dust. It’s important to stay active on all social media sites. Start a new job? Post an update. Get a promotion? Update your title. If you’re a vice president of client relations, you don’t want a profile that says you still work in the mailroom.

6. Keep Your Connections Career-Focused

Getting requests to connect from old roommates and people you barely remember from high school is only to be expected on social media, but you want to make sure the majority of the people in your circles are in your career cohort. This gives employers the impression that you’re plugged in to your particular niche, and is especially helpful when applying for a job that lists strong industry contacts as a core requirement.

7. Provide a Clear Link to Your Email Address

Say a recruiter sees your profile and wants to get in touch with you about a potential job opportunity. Can they find your email address in a matter of seconds? Make sure it’s linked somewhere that’s clear and easy to see, because the last thing anyone wants to do is go on a wild goose chase just to get your contact info.

8. Have a Professional-Looking Headshot

As in online dating, a decent headshot is key to having strong profiles. No matter how much you love your souvenir tank top from Twisted Sister’s 2008 reunion tour, this isn’t the right place to be seen rocking it. That’s not to say you need to wear formal office attire (business casual is fine) but it pays to look engaged, put-together, and hopefully not too grainy.

Make a Monster Profile (It's Free)

Now that you've read our tips for getting a job using social media, make sure you have the one profile that can actively reach a large number of employers. That would be us. Recruiters use Monster every single day to find candidates for top jobs. Make your presence known by setting up a free Monster profile today. It's quick, easy, and effective.