Social media is quickly becoming an integral part of the job search. One recent survey by Jobvite found that 89% of employers expect to use social media when recruiting candidates. So as a job seeker, how can you stay on top of things? This presentation discusses anticipated social media trends for 2012 and how job seekers can use the newest social media tools to brand themselves, network, get organized, and display online portfolios. Tools covered include Pinterest, Google+, Path, Spool, SpringPad and more!
Co-presented by Jackie Buck and Brooke Roegge at the Job Seeker Counselor Conference in Brainerd, MN on March 27, 2012.
29. Questions? Ideas?
Upcoming webinars:
April 26 10:30-11:30 am Using Twitter for Job Search
May 23 10:00-11:00 am Navigating LinkedIn for Job Search
June 26 2:00-3:00 pm Using Facebook for Job Search
July 17 2:00-3:00 pm You Tube and Job Search
Notas do Editor
This presentation is split into two portions: First, we’ll cover some of the big picture trends in social media and technology for 2012. Second, we’ll cover some of the specific websites, apps, and tools that represent these trends, and how job seekers can use them.
These are some of the trends we are seeing in 2012 for job seekers and can help give them an edge in attracting the attention of Recruiters and Hiring Managers. As the social media landscape becomes more crowded in 2012, businesses will pick their battles and dig in . What used to be simply Facebook and Twitter is now Google+ , LinkedIn , Facebook and Twitter (and who knows what’s next). On top of this, you have many specialty networks like Foursquare , Yelp and Instagram . The tools Brooke will present today will make you more productive and grow your online influence . These will show you how to be consistently visible and valuable to their target markets! Find and focus on the tools that can make you more productive and competitive in 2012!
Michael Stelzner , founder and CEO of Social Media Examiner. #2: Photo and video social networks will blossom Jay Baer @JayBaer 2012 will be the year of the multimedia social network. Photo- and video-based social interaction will grow. There is more meat on Instagram and Viddy and Tout than bun, and that enables the whole point of social networking—making and perpetuating connections and seeing the world through someone else’s eyes. I don’t expect these services to dethrone Facebook, as many people simply are not comfortable with multimedia. But already you’re seeing power users reduce their Facebook (and Twitter) musings in favor of multimedia, where a picture (or video) speaks louder than 140 characters. Professional Headshots on social media channels are going to be increasing important in building your professional presence. Given that the camera on your smartphone is almost as good as your actual camera, the multimedia-driven social networks are here to stay and will be an emerging force for brands in 2012 , too
Explosive growth in both of these social media sites in 2012. Google + is somewhat similar to Facebook with some unique features. Brooke will describe them a bit later. With the focus on video’s and multimedia, You Tube is a perfect site for the novice film maker to showcase who they are. Justin Beiber was discovered on You Tube and that is how he became so popular.
APPLE receives 26,000 requests for APPs per week.! Do you think this might be explosive growth? Over 54% of cell phones users own a SMARTPhone and the # keeps growing!
Create unique content. So many brands and individuals are creating amazing content that you will need to do something not only amazing but unique, so that you gain the attention you’re looking for. Be consistent. You can’t just create this unique content a few times; you need to create a schedule for yourself to come out with unique content on a consistent basis.
Imagine your PC and all of your mobile devices being in sync—all the time. Imagine being able to access all of your personal data at any given moment. Imagine having the ability to organize and mine data from any online source. Imagine being able to share that data—photos, movies, contacts, e-mail, documents, etc.—with your friends, family, and coworkers in an instant. This is what personal cloud computing promises to deliver.
Match your audience to your SOCIAL MEDIA CHANNELS— Know what is working and who your TARGET IS! Don’t try to be everything to everyone.
Now we’ll shift gears and take a look at specific examples of new tools, websites, and apps that job seekers can use in their job search. Everything we’ll show today is FREE … (the smartphone you might need won’t be though…)
First, CardMunch – iPhone app by LinkedIn. First, download the app on your phone. Login to LinkedIn though app. Connects your LinkedIn profile with contacts in phone. Take picture of biz card, it converts information on card into a phone contact. The contact, since it’s connected to LinkedIn, will display how you are connected through all of your LinkedIn connections. Good ice breaker, possibly for interviews or networking situations. So if you’ve just met someone, and they give you their business card, you could scan it and immediately see how you’re connected professionally (“Oh, you know Bob at Target?”…).
LogMeIn – Software to download/install on your home computer. Once installed, access your home computer (and all the files on it) from any other computer in the world. Job seeker use: meet someone you want to give your resume to or maybe you’re online and see a job you want to apply for ASAP – you could log in to your home computer using this software, grab your resume, and print it or submit it or whatever you need to do. Wouldn’t have to wait and potentially miss a good opportunity. Also, Dropbox is another service (cloud-based) that offers similar benefits. Upload files to cloud, access anywhere. Good for those who don’t want their whole computer to be accessible remotely.
Path.com – Lots of buzz right now. New social networking smartphone app. Similar in concept to Facebook but limits you to 150 contacts – intended to be only for friends/family/other people within your very close network. (See video demo on website to learn more) If you used this, how might it change the way you interact on Facebook? Would it make you more willing to be “public” on Facebook and “private” on Path? If you’re a job seeker, or established career person, Path might give you the option to discreetly convert your FB profile into a professional profile and allow colleagues to friend you (which makes people feel closer to you b/c they’d feel that they were inside your personal circle). This might help you tap into the hidden job market (maybe a FB contact posts job that only close contacts can see…).
Pinterest – Another hot site. Takes idea of corkboards - the kind that you’d pin notes, recipe, letters, mementos to – creates an online equivalent. You can set up separate “boards” online and give them categories (one board for recipes, one for photos you like, etc.). Then, you pin webpages that you like or find interesting to those boards – basically a visual bookmarking tool. (Quick note: since Pinterest is visual, it helps if the page you’re bookmarking has an interesting or eye-catching photo on it.) An example…
Here’s an example of someone’s Pinterest profile/boards. This user, who is a professional recruiter, has set up some boards with tips for job seekers. She has 5 boards – What to wear on a Job Interview, Job Search Advice, Creative Resume Ideas, Job Seeker Humor, and Workplaces to Love If I clicked on Job Search Advice…
This is where I would go – this is the page for that specific board. Each one of these pictures is a link to a page on the web. (You can see here how Pinterest is a visual bookmarking tool. Pictures are prominent when pinning items.) To see specific items…
… click on the image. Example: “Pinterest” image – goes to a jobseekers’ guide to Pinterest… if you click on that…
It takes you to this article. This is an article that this recruiter wrote with some tips for using Pinterest as a job seeker.
So a job seeker (or even someone in an established career) could use Pinterest to set up boards promoting their work. This would work especially well for anyone involved in web work, graphic design, photography, or other visual professions. Could be used to create an online portfolio of your work. If you aren’t in a visual field, could use it to pin articles of interest for your professional colleagues.
Google+: A social networking site that allows you to segment your contacts into as many groups (or “circles”) as you want to create (family, friends, close friends, acquaintances, co-workers, professionals in your field, etc). Use Google+ as a way for networking professionally. Set up profile to reflect your job-seeking status. Note in your profile that you’re looking. Create a mini-resume using profile (profile fields allow for detailed employment history, work history). Post content that shows you are active in your field and stay on top of new, relevant information. Use your circles to push that content to specific groups. Befriend companies you want to work for and people that can help you find jobs. Organize your contacts into circles, arranged in way that makes sense to you as a job-seeker (companies you’d like to work for, recruiters you’ve friended). Google+ also offers “Hangouts,” which allow you to video chat. Free – you just need a computer with a webcam and a Google+ account (the person you want to chat with would also need these things). You could use Hangouts to hold informational interviews or actual interviews. One major benefit that Google+ offers job seekers or professional branders is the quick appearance of *public* posts in Google search results, quicker than other sites. Where do people go when they want to find info on web? Google. Gives you a leg up because info shows up in search results so quickly.
QR codes: A type of barcode that can link off to information on the web in any form – videos, webpages, photos, etc. Can even use them to send emails and text messages. A job seeker could use a QR codes on biz cards: link to resume, portfolio, LinkedIn profile. Or put a QR codes on their resume: link to portfolio, demo reel (like actor in the example on the screen above). … or you could get REALLY creative with putting a QR code on your resume, like this guy who is a graphic designer… (see linked video).
Springpad – This app takes the to-do list to a whole new level with some Pinterest and web-based elements. Best way to describe is to watch their video demo (http://youtu.be/Uj-frJh6ZFM). Job seekers could use SpringPad to track jobs they want to apply for and set deadlines for when they need to apply by. Could use browser extension to look up jobs they’ve applied for before heading off to an interview… Basically they could use this tool to organize their job search and keep everything in one place. Organize jobs they want to apply for, ones they’ve already applied for, ones that they’ve interviewed for, etc…
Spool – This site allows you to mark and save things for later – but the kicker here is that you can view them EVEN if you aren’t connected to the internet! (Check out the video demo on the site) So say you see a bunch of jobs you want to apply for but are going away for the weekend to some remote location or maybe you’ll be stuck on an airplane without internet access. You could save all the job postings with Spool and access them while you’re away or on the plane. You’d be able to refer back to the job descriptions while you work on putting together your job applications.
Brazen Careerist – Launched in 2009, this site marketed itself as a place for young professionals (Gen Y). Mixes social networking into the traditional job hunt. Besides having the traditional resume, it also has a section dedicated to ideas – a place for young professionals to write about the ideas they have that they want to work on. This helps young professionals showcase their critical thinking skills and ambitions to potential employers. The site also offers webinars/e-books/bootcamps with the goal of helping young professionals succeed in the workplace.
Ziggs – A social networking and branding site. Kind of like LinkedIn, but the big difference is that if someone searches for you on the web and accesses your Ziggs profile, Ziggs will tell you all about that person (where they are coming from, what keywords they used to find you, etc.). Helps you make sure your attempts at professional branding are working and if not, the opportunity to refine them. The site is free, but some reviewers have noted that they try to sell you things, like a web domain that you could use to build your brand. Lots of features (groups, job posts, professional directories) but much of a community yet.
Cuttings.me – A website for journalists, bloggers, other professional writers, which they can use to create an online portfolio of their work.
Example of someone who has set up a cuttings.me portfolio. Name at top. Bio underneath. Link to official website or blog under that. Ability to share portfolio with other social media sites at top. Portfolio below – all links go to articles on other sites written by Karen. (click picture, go to site – show all articles) Look is customizable – can change colors or add background images.
TwitWipe – A lot of people use Twitter for professional networking. But say you’ve been using Twitter for years to chat with friends, but now you’ve decided to use it for networking with colleagues. This service would come in handy because it deletes all tweets from your account, at your request. You could use this to delete everything and start over.
Elixio – An exclusive, private, invite-only networking site. Currently less than 14,000 participants. Can’t tell you much more about it because I don’t have access. According to Mashable.com, if you get in, you have access to “the cream of the crop” among business elite. There are a couple other sites out there like this one. Will we see more? Will this become a trend? Something to keep an eye on.
Jackie and Brooke will be hosting a series of webinars on how job seekers can use the more popular social networking sites. Dates/times on screen.