In today’s digitally connected, social world, most employers and recruiters actively use social media to find and recruit the best candidates. Here we explain why and how you can utilise social media when applying for jobs.

To give yourself the best chance of securing a job, keep up-to-date with the latest recruitment trends and practices. Candidates also need to use social media as a big part of their job search and application strategy.

How to Use Social Media When Applying For Jobs

Do Your Research

They say knowledge is power. Certainly, when searching for jobs and applying for new positions, having greater knowledge about a company will help. Researching a business on social media will help you determine whether you can see yourself working there or not. It should also enable you to thoroughly research an employer before tweaking your CV for a specific role. Or to show you’ve done your homework about a company before you are called for an interview.

A recruitment consultant mapping out his social media strategy that will help his candidates — Reputable recruitment consultants often have a solid social media strategy that is designed to help its candidates land their dream jobs

Follow Recruitment Consultants on Social Media

It’s not just employers you should be following. A reputable recruitment consultant will maintain an active social media presence. There are several advantages to following recruitment consultancy firms on social media:

Be the first to know about relevant jobs
They share blog posts including useful job application & interview tips
Snippets of tech news and recruitment related humour that might help you in an interview
Positive reviews received from clients and candidates provide you with peace of mind that your application is in safe hands
Recruiters are always keen to engage in conversation on social media which can boost your presence
Engaging in conversations also keeps you at the forefront of a recruiters mind and shows them your keen

A young lady enjoying a coffee whilst researching a potential employer on social media — It’s easy to do your homework on a company by scrolling through their social media feeds

Follow Relevant Companies and Individuals

Social media enables us to become familiar with companies, brands and leading figures like never before.

Before applying for a position, do your homework about the recruiting company by following it on the social media channels. Check out their accounts on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram. Why all of them? Because all social media channels work slightly differently, you will find that companies share different content on each one. This will help you to learn more about the brand, its ethos, personality and services or products.

A motivated team, communicating their company's culture and ethos on social media — You can learn a lot about a company’s culture by keeping up to date with their social media feeds

Get to Know Their Employer Brand

During an interview, informing the interviewer(s) that you follow their social media accounts. Making them aware that you are familiar with their brand, ethos and values, will almost certainly impress the panel. Thus sending a positive signal that you are enthusiastic about their company and are a dedicated individual.

As well as following relevant companies, follow individuals that work for a company you have applied for a job at. Particularly if you have been asked to attend an interview and know the names of the interviewers.

Again, connecting on LinkedIn and Twitter will convey your enthusiasm. Making connections will also help you learn more about your potential colleagues. Showing that you are willing to ‘go the extra mile’ can definitely improve your chances of getting a job.

Demonstrate Your Interest

Don’t draw the line at following companies you are applying to work for. Use social media to engage with influencers and other individuals in the same field. Engaging with others, outside the organisation, will show that you have a genuine interest in your area of expertise.

It is standard practice for many employers to check potential employees out on social media before hiring them. An active social media feed gives them an opportunity to find out more about you during the application process.

Don’t be scared to reach out to potential colleagues on Facebook and LinkedIn. This is sure to earn you extra ‘brownie points’ and help you stand out above competing candidates.

Are You Using Social Media When Applying for Jobs?

If not, what are you waiting for?! You can follow us on:

If you have any questions about using social media when applying for jobs, don’t hesitate to reach out to our recruitment consultants, particularly LinkedIn. It’s a great way to grab their attention!

If you found this article useful, please don’t hesitate to share it on your favourite platform where others can learn about using social media to apply for jobs.