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Stuart Gentle Publisher at Onrec

How to use social media to get a job

With recent research revealing that 92% of employers will look at your social media pages before they consider hiring you, your online profiles can either work in your favour, or cost you your dream job. If you’re starting on the path of a new job or career, short term loan provider Wonga has some top tips on how to use social media to secure that dream role.

Spring clean

To use your social media profile to help secure a job, start by spring-cleaning your accounts. Do an audit, going through recent posts to make sure everything is professional, appropriate and well written. Take down anything that doesn’t cast you in a positive light, including retweets and shared Facebook posts.

This doesn’t mean that you need to strip all of your personality out of it - remember, your pages are a personal reflection of you so sharing posts about your holidays, weekends with friends and hobbies indicates to potential employers that you’re a sociable and confident candidate.

Personal branding

If you want to get serious on social media, be consistent and professional, creating a personal image across your profiles. Choose a snappy, easy to read ‘about me’ statement, using similar text on every account, and the same carefully styled profile picture. Avoid handheld selfies as they look amateurish; a good camera with a tripod and a self-timer is great if there’s no one available to take photos for you.

When you post on more than one social media account, there’s no point repeating yourself, and think about which content sits best on each platform. Facebook might be your personal, relaxed outlet where you share key moments and connect with friends; Twitter could host your most insightful thoughts and let you engage with trending topics; and LinkedIn lists your skills and experience, and is the place you publish your work thoughts. Getting the best out of multi-platforms, using each one to ‘sell’ different elements of your personal image, creates an amazing impression.

Be yourself

You can still be professional while being honest and being yourself: get the balance right to create a positive, employable presence online.

Don’t be afraid to say you’re looking for work. Reach out to others in the same boat, sharing tips, advice and support, and use social media to let friends and family know you’re in the midst of a job hunt: if people don’t know, they can’t help you.

For more tips on how to use social media to get a job, visit: https://www.wonga.com/cashsmart/articles/image-articles/how-to-use-social-media-to-get-a-job/