One of the first assignments of my FYE (first-year experience) was to create and fill out a LinkedIn Profile. LinkedIn is an online résumé that establishes your virtual reputation and professional social network. On LinkedIn, you can make connections, generate job leads, improve personal brand awareness, foster professional relationships, share knowledgeable content, and drive traffic to your profile.
College students may experience a higher chance of finding job opportunities that match their interests and values by leveraging information from Instagram, TikTok, and X. Most large businesses and organizations have at least one social media platform. It would be paramount to the job seekers’ job search efforts to follow their favorite companies to be in the loop about company news and achievements.
Students can use social media to accelerate their job search in the following three ways:
Being Resourceful: Students are encouraged to use their resources to research job opportunities they believe suit their work ethic, passions, and goals. First-generation students benefit from using social media as a job search engine since they can do so in a space that’s comfortable during new experiences like their home, favorite library, or park! Since students have easy access to platforms like Instagram, TikTok, X and Reddit. They have a better chance of understanding how to use the platform to successfully reach out and secure job opportunities.
Be Knowledgeable: Students can act by following companies they are interested in on all social media platforms, seeking out a recruiter account, asking questions about company history and new positions, and staying updated on promotional job posts. Students have a better chance of keeping up with job offers, interviews, and applications via social media platforms instead of through emails and letters since they have more reasons to check their phones versus their mailbox.
Personal Branding: Students are strongly encouraged to create a professional social media account to reach out to businesses they want to work for. Separate from their personal and work life. This is the start of a personal brand. Social media platforms are often used as portfolios for arts majors ranging from dance to graphic design. Students post examples of their work via video, voice recording, art pieces, and apps. This makes it easier for businesses to acknowledge an individual’s brand.
Now that you are briefed with three ways students can use social media to advance their job search. You can begin the 3-step process. Take time to research companies you are interested in via social media platforms, ensure you understand updated information about companies you are interested in and lastly create a personal brand.
