Ask BCH: What’s your #1 social media job search tip?

Everybody knows social media is a handy tool for finding a job, but what do the experts say about the best strategies and approaches?

We asked the experts at TRSM’s Business Career Hub:

What’s Your #1 social media job search tip?

“LinkedIn has a great Alumni feature where you can discover and sort alumni based on a series of filters. Check it by going to LinkedIn, click on the ‘My Network’ Tab and then the ‘Find Alumni’ Tab. You can filter based upon year attended, year graduated, academic program, where they live, work and even what they do. Best feature of LinkedIn by far!” – Dan Kennedy, Manager, Business Career Hub

“You can use Twitter to follow thought leaders from your target industry. This is a quick way to find relevant news articles or follow dialogue on a current business trend or topic on a regular basis. When networking or interviewing, you may be asked for your thoughts on a current issue; make sure you can participate intelligently by staying up to date.” – Juliana Scharrer, Career Consultant (Business Technology Management)

“Share resources! Networking isn’t just about getting information for yourself. Stand out and share something interesting that you’ve read. It could be business- or industry-related. But perhaps it’s related to an interesting thought or resource that relates to a post that an employer/industry member also shared. This can easily generate further discussion between you and that individual. They will likely remember you more easily for this too.” – Laura Henshaw, TRSM Co-op Coordinator

“LinkedIn is an amazing tool for your job search – that’s how I got my first job! When you go into LinkedIn there’s a ‘Jobs’ tab. This allows you to search through opportunities that employers are posting on the system. Many employers post on LinkedIn as it allows them access to view your LinkedIn profile simultaneously. If you’re applying through LinkedIn, you can actually see where you are on the hiring process, too. You’re able to filter by location, company, industry – and narrow or expand your search accordingly. It’s a great tool that I believe provides positive results.” – Sneha Deokie, Career Consultant (Hospitality & Tourism Management, Retail Management)

“LinkedIn is one of the most effective tools to find and connect with industry professionals. It is also very useful for doing research on career paths based on other people’s work history, find job postings, and join industry specific groups to gain access to leaders in the industry.” – Theeban Pathmanathan, Career Consultant (Marketing Management)

“Social Media is a fantastic way to conduct a job search, and industry is leaning that way more and more. It can be a double-edged sword, however – make sure your social media presence is professional, and reflects how you want to be perceived in industry. If you are using social media to job search, make sure that there is nothing on there that could jeopardize your chances. Employers will look, and there are plenty of stories of past posts and photos costing someone a great opportunity.” – Medhat Sedarose, Career Consultant (Global Management Studies, Law & Business, Economics & Management Science)

“Recruiters are using social media to find candidates, so use the social media platforms to show your interests and knowledge by joining LinkedIn groups and answering or posting questions, replying to tweets, etc. Establish your online presence, keep it active and always keep your personal brand in mind, which is basically how others perceive you.” – José Cabral, Career Consultant (Human Resources/Organizational Behaviour, Entrepreneurship & Strategy, Health Services Management and Health Information Management)

“Social Media can act as a great resource when looking for work. We all know this! But how do we actually leverage some of the platforms available to us such as LinkedIn and Twitter to get our online presence known? It all comes down to effort. Just like a networking event doesn’t guarantee a job, similarly, getting a LinkedIn profile does not mean you have now created an online presence. You cannot copy and paste your resume into your LinkedIn. This will show recruiters that you have put zero effort into your profile. I know you are busy with exams, assignments, student groups, volunteer work, part-time jobs, but take the time to strengthen your profiles because it will go a long way!” – Nelufur Bhasin, Career Consultant (Finance and Real Estate Management)