Getting an employer’s attention is absolutely essential to job success. Who knows you is what really counts. Although it is not easy, you can actively work to become more visible to those who can potentially hire you. Below are some tips to accomplish this worthwhile endeavor.
Engage with companies on their social media- Find out what social media platforms your favorite organizations regularly use. Search to see if they are actively posting in Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc. Once you know what platforms an organization uses, actively follow discussions and posts. Start to engage in the discussions so that your presence is known. Your goal should not only be to showcase your knowledge and skill, but to create positive relationships with recruiters. A position may not be open immediately but trust that recruiters will be taking notice for future openings.
Show Off Your Work In Social Media- “Twitter and LinkedIn are excellent places to build a conversation or share industry-relevant news” says David Schwab, Senior Vice President at global sports-and-entertainment marketing firm Octagon. Sharing his insight with Forbes, Schwab advises to also build an Instagram account or display your portfolio via Pinterest if you have expertise that is visual in nature. “If you have great content, a following will come. This type of activity helps to differentiate you as a candidate and can help propel you onto an employers’ shortlist. And don’t just use LinkedIn as a digital resume, the platform provides excellent tools to organize and show off your work and tangible results and impact.”
Schwab adds: “Make sure your social media platforms are updated and that your feeds are appropriate for an employer to see. Many will look at a candidate’s social media as a gauge of social know-how, and as an indicator of how that candidate would handle themselves in professional situations.”
Join Talent Communities- Organizations are creating talent communities made up of potential employees that are connected through social media. Wikipedia defines talent communities as “an environment consisting of people who can share ideas for the purpose of career networking or social recruiting of candidates.”
Not all organizations will have defined talent communities but many large companies will have talent community pages on their websites. For example, Johnson & Johnson has a “join our global talent hub” button on their careers website. When you register, you will receive customized job alerts delivered to your email. Other companies such as GE offer registration to their talent community through your LinkedIn profile.
Some companies have well developed talent communities that are very beneficial to job seekers. Lockheed Martin has taken the concept to a new level by offering live virtual chats with their recruiters. Being able to talk with the person who reviews your resume, can be just what you need to help land an interview.
Seek Referrals– The conclusion from a 2018 Silkroad report on 300,000 hires was that employee referrals is the #1 source of hires. Work to get referred by first reaching out to your own network to see who they know and who they can introduce you to. Often we dismiss our own network but you don’t know who your connections are interacting with until you ask.
Sometimes, it will seem that you are able to get on a potential employer’s radar just by good luck but Thomas Jefferson once said, the harder you work, but more you have of it.
