“You are responsible for everything you post and everything you post will be a reflection of you.” – Germany Kent
To be smart about your job search, you have to use all the available tools at your disposal. With so much crossover between our online lives and our careers, it makes sense to use social media to help you find your dream job.
Here are a few tips you can use to familiarise yourself with what matters to your future boss, and reveal the culture of the organisation you wish to work for, before you hit ‘send’ on that application.
Whether your goal is to work for a globally recognised company or a DIY start-up, one of the best places to get a feel for company culture is Instagram. Most organisations use the platform to show off what life is like in their workplace and demonstrate what brings them together. They will use Instagram to celebrate special events, awards and conferences, to call out special employees, or to show off cool tech, architecture or their HQ’s scenic surrounds.
All of this is valuable material because it offers you a glimpse of company vibe before you set foot on the grounds.
Instagram also works as a great touchpoint for gaining a sense of the organisation’s values. Scrolling through their feed will help you to zero in on what is important to their community and figure out if you are a good fit. If they have made a good impression, and you can tie your own interests and career goals to what you have seen, bring this to the interview and wow them by recalling what has resonated with you.
There is no excuse in today’s digitally connected world to start a cover letter with, “To whom it may concern”. Most job descriptions will identify who a position reports to even if the hiring manager is not named. One way to uncover the hiring manager’s name or title is to head over to LinkedIn, jump in the search box and find the organisation. Once on the hiring manager’s company page, you will be able to see whether they are listed as an employee (choose ‘See all employees on LinkedIn’) or you could search for their job title if that is all you know.
Once you are confident you have figured out the name of your future boss, check out their LinkedIn profile to identify what they value most. If any of their skills, experiences, interests or passions align with your own, be sure to emphasise them in your cover letter. This will help you to stand out among other candidates.
Make sure you utilise the ‘Open to work’ tool on LinkedIn to show recruiters where you are in your job search, identify the types of roles you are open to hearing about, indicate which industries you wish to work in, and give your preferred location. LinkedIn says this tool can double your chances of receiving relevant messages from recruiters.
A word of warning: if you are currently employed and trying to keep your job hunt on the down-low, there is still a chance recruiters from your current workplace will notice your ‘Open to work’ signal.
Pro tip: Make sure your own social media profiles are in order first – you do not want to stand out for the wrong reasons! This where to ensure your profiles, especially TikTok, X (formerly Twitter), and Instagram are “safe for work” with nothing inappropriate or incriminating.
Remember that your social media presence acts as an extension of your resumé, as well as your personality. While sassy comments might be fun for your friends to read, if you are searching for a job then you are far better off showing off what a great prospective employee you will be. Try pinning a post to the top of your feed that showcases your interests or achievements, such as:
Social media can also help you to develop a sense of the current issues affecting the people in your industry. So pay attention to the topics that influential commentators or organisations weigh in on and repost.
By using Facebook’s Groups feature as a discovery tool, you can find active communities in your field. These groups are certainly useful for making industry connections; however, the real benefit for job hunters is that community members often share job openings with the knowledge that they are reaching a group of like-minded and skilled peers.
It also pays to make an effort to participate in the group discussions. If you use your position as a current student or recent grad to showcase your knowledge of the latest trends in your field, it may positively influence your chances of landing a job with one of the group members down the track.
Eva Grabner
Managing Director
Elite Executive Pty Ltd
www.eliteexecutive.com.au
Cairns | Brisbane | Darwin | Townsville
Eva has amassed over 17 years of experience in the executive and professional recruitment industry and is the sole proprietor of Elite Executive, a thriving executive recruitment firm based in Queensland. As a highly professional and driven Managing Director and Principal Recruiter, she brings a wealth of recruitment expertise across a diverse range of industries. Her background also includes executive leadership and senior management roles on a global scale, showcasing her robust operational acumen.
