Whether you like it or not, social media became a fact of life, and employers are more interested in checking candidates’ social media accounts these days more than ever. With such importance, it is advisable as a job seeker to invest some time and effort in establishing your social media profiles in a professional manner.

Social media platforms provide you with endless opportunities for sharing information and presenting yourself.  Think of social media as your free PR tool that will help you promoting your interests, getting updates from the companies you are interested in and from the industry you are targeting in general, showcasing your accomplishments, receiving endorsements from colleagues and previous employers, and making connections within your field. 

Social media is not just for fresh graduate only. No matter in which career stage are you, you still need to polish your social media presence.  It also provides you opportunities for establishing meaningful relationships and keeping up-to-date with the job market.

In this article, we will share with you three strategies to establish your social media presence:

1) Choose the Right Platform (s) 

Social media consists of tens of different platforms. The famous platforms are Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram. LinkedIn is the only platform that is considered strictly professional; however the other social media platforms are important as well.

You do not need to have presence on every single platform in the market, focus on the major ones. Also consider the platforms used by your employers of interest and the organizations that you support.

As a start, your LinkedIn profile is very important as it is a common practice these days to include a link to your LinkedIn profile in your resume and covering letter. Invest few hours updating your LinkedIn profile from time to time. Add all of your professional connections and follow the gurus in your industry. Consider your LinkedIn profile that first step to enhance your professional network. In addition to updating your LinkedIn profile, consider posting some articles in which you demonstrate your knowledge and your achievements.

Twitter is also good if you know how to articulate your thoughts in 140 characters. Twitter is the perfect platform to engage with your industry or specialization and potential employers; share your thoughts and opinion about things or events that matter to you. However, you should be careful to share highly charged opinion, especially regarding sensitive matters, unless you are capable of handling the consequences. Twitter also allows sharing photos and links, so, you can use these functions to showcase your life and your knowledge.

The third most important social platform for job seeker is Facebook.  Facebook is less restrictive platform. You can share almost everything on Facebook. If you prefer to keep your private life private, then you need to adjust the privacy settings on Facebook accordingly. Some experts advise that you have two accounts if you do not want to mix your personal life with your professional life, so, if you are capable of managing more than one account on Facebook , by all means do it, otherwise manage your only account tactfully.

2) Be Visible

You might think that you do not have much to share on social or maybe you prefer to protect your privacy, but being visible on social media platforms could support your career. Employers search the candidate’s presence on social media to understand how this person will fit within the corporate culture.

So, use your formal name, list your educational institutions, books you read, and promote yourself. There is nothing wrong about self-promoting when done right. Use positive factual language in the ‘about me’ section, a presentable photo. If a photo might be deemed inappropriate, do not post it online. Check all the photos you are tagged in, and remove the tag if you do not like it o may be ask your friend to remove the photo. Your social media presence is your gateway to establish meaningful professional connections.

3) Maintain Consistency

Consistency is key to keep your social media presence strong and relevant. You can post industry news, which in turn indicate that you are up-to-date with your field and you follow the latest advances or trends.

It might seems as a daunting task to keep updating your social media accounts, especially with the advice we receive to not to get consumed in it. However, you only need to share once a day or every other day to maintain a consistent presence.

Share the articles you read, professional events you attend, or any news that will enhance your professional image. This might take few minutes a day. You can also link your accounts, so, any update you post on a platform is posted on other platforms as well.