Get Some Interview Face Time by Starting on Facebook

You’ve heard enough career strategists, recruiters, and even your mom warn you about how Facebook content can cost you a job opportunity.   Let’s talk about how to use Facebook to find a job and support your career success.  First, here’s a quick quiz. What’s the best way to find a job?  Networking!  According to the 10th Annual CareerXRoads Sources of Hire Report: By the Numbers, 27% of hires are sourced through referrals.  That’s why networking is critical.  Most of us connect with a large group of “friends” on Facebook; and these friends include many of those with whom you would like in your networking circle. That’s the first aspect of job searching via Facebook.  Reconnect and let your friends know about your career goals.

Here’s another statistic, 47% of employers surveyed for the CareerXRoads report indicated that researching profiles on online social networks, such as Facebook or LinkedIn, is a significant part of their direct sourcing hire number.  Use your profiles to your advantage.  Consider what you post and elements of your profile carefully so that information supports your career plan.

A new trend is social recruiting.  Employers actively recruit candidates in two ways.  The first is to identify and reach out to candidates via Facebook or LinkedIn.  The other way is to establish a presence on Facebook and draw candidates to the site.  One advantage for employers is the ability to observe potential candidates in stealth mode. What does this mean to you?  Be aware that prospective employers are watching.  Also, review all forms of online presence a company manages, including their Facebook pages.

Are candidates ready for employers to contact them via Facebook?   FoxBusiness.com shares data from an Internships.com survey suggesting that the majority of job seekers feel comfortable with contact from recruiters and hiring companies via social networking sites, such as Facebook.  So, if you are not ready to add Facebook to your job search strategy, get ready! FoxBusiness.com recommends these tools for job searching using social media:  BranchingOut, TweetMyJOB, and CareerAmp.