Tips For Using Facebook in Your Job Search Hunt

Internet which once started as a small research project has undeniably found an integral and inseparable role in our day to day lives. Though internet has been around for more than two decades, it is because of applications like Facebook that have recently made it indispensable and a part of every internet savvy person. Facebook has unquestionably seen an exponential rise and interest amongst the younger generation as an interesting medium to interact with friends and be in touch with the community as a whole. This is apparent from the sheer fact that nowadays, Facebook in mobile phone and computer terms is synonymous with being “social”. A recent survey has found out that around 350 million people use Facebook and out of these around 75% are those who belong to the age group of 15-25. People have been using Facebook for a number of purposes, primarily to update their friends about their daily happenings. Pictures and videos are shared on a regular basis onto the Facebook. Besides, the use of Facebook as a social networking platform for people of all ages, a little known feature of Facebook is its role in job search. It appears so medieval in this modern computer age to think about job search as involving sending applications against a local newspaper advertisement. Usage of sites such as LinkedIn and Facebook has changed the job search scenario completely as these sites sometimes serve as the primary starting points for job seekers. It’s interesting to know that increasing number of companies, professionals and HR executives are using Facebook in their search for a talented resource on a daily basis. Here are some tips for people who would like to find a job through Facebook:

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# Update profile:It should be noted that if a Facebook account is to be used as a medium for job search, one should clean up and update the profile so as to better showcase one’s ability towards getting a job. Cleaning up posts, photos and group memberships which may not seem to go well with prospective employers is a must and may leave a poor first impression on the viewer. Any comments regarding bad mouthing of previous employers or organisation should not be made a part of such a Facebook profile. A Facebook user and an online user for that matter should understand the fact that it’s as easy to leave a poor impression on a viewer as it is to make a good impression.

# Join job search and groups: Such groups may have like-minded people who discuss job listings and post job news about the various happenings in the industry. Joining groups and posting views on the wall and commenting on other’s views is a great way to build up networking in the field of job search. Once the users start knowing other job seekers in the field it becomes quite easy to catch on early with any new jobs that might match the credentials and background. Sending online friend requests goes a long way in this search and get noticed in the industry so as to grab jobs even before they hit the job search sites.

# Communicate with like-minded: Once a Facebook user becomes successful in building a network of users from the same industry, it becomes all the more necessary to follow up and build online relationships with such users, so that when an opportunity comes knocking, it is easier to get tracked online. Chatting with your network and apprising them of your willingness for a job change may be the right approach to a seemingly difficult task of job search. It is always more than important to offer your services and help whenever the need arises so as to showcase one’s talents and skills, but also build a rapport amongst the network.

# Drive to keep updated in knowledge: It is quite obvious fact that although helping others from the same industry is a necessary step in building a rapport for oneself, however, one should be eager to learn from the gurus of the trade. Asking other job seekers about ways to expand the knowledge and learning from them shows one’s drive to be always abreast with new knowledge. Asking online friends about paid work or voluntary job may seem the right way to fill in the times of unemployment. It is here that the actual importance of building a good network of friends from different areas and voluntary organisation comes to light.

# Tuning account settings: It is important to spend some time, fine tuning the account and privacy settings so as to make sure that companies in their search for the right candidate, can easily find one’s profile. Visibility settings come handy when certain portions of the portions such as employment history and location preferences are to be highlighted.