How to Use Social Media to Land Your Next Job

This article first appeared in my LinkedIn Newsletter. Follow me on LinkedIn for daily career inspiration.

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From posting on LinkedIn I’ve received interview offers, inbound clients, and partnership deals.

If you're a job seeker and ignoring social media for job leads, you’re missing out on a huge slice of the pie. The reality is: If people don’t know who you are, what you do, and what you need, they can’t offer you new opportunities.

People are online (like us now, hi 👋). In fact 80% of recruiters use LinkedIn, and most job searching happens online. This makes LinkedIn and social media an ideal environment to connect with recruiters, colleagues and hiring managers.

You’re probably thinking “I’m not great at social media.”

SAME

But do you know what you’re great at? Being you. Sharing your insights. Understanding your industry trends. These are the things that will get you noticed!

Dive into my first Newsletter to learn how to speed up your job search using LinkedIn, including real-life examples from job seekers like you. Yes, even if you're not an over-sharer or are starting from scratch. But, first a quick story about me.

Almost Viral

Anyone who knows me, knows I’m not a big social media person. I don’t use Facebook or Instagram. Before posting on LinkedIn I did so once a year to announce new jobs or promotions.

But as a recruiter I relied heavily on LinkedIn to find and hire top candidates. As a job seeker I found my last 3 six-figure jobs using LinkedIn. The social power of LinkedIn was always there when I selectively decided to tap into it.

When I decided to expand my career coaching business, LinkedIn was a natural first step to sharing and testing my content and services. I prepped my content calendar for 2 weeks before sharing my first post.

And when I tell you, I was terrified to hit "post". I felt so exposed, refreshing the page to see if I’d gain a few pity likes. Little did I know that with consistent posting I would soon extend my outreach, help thousands of job seekers, and see an incredible return. Here's how I've helped job seekers get started.

1. Create a Strong Online Presence & Brand

Most employers search for social proof using your online presence on LinkedIn. Creating a solid online profile tells a cohesive story of who you are professionally.

Start by:

• Optimizing your LinkedIn profile to reflect your expertise and attract the positions that you’re looking for. Having a robust profile helps drive hiring teams to you and keeps them impressed with your background.

• Making yourself discoverable by adding relevant Skills & Keywords. 80% of recruiters use LinkedIn to find talent. Skills also impact the jobs that LinkedIn recommends to you.

• Maximizing your profile by liking and engaging with company leaders, industry leaders, and your extended network.

Think of your personal brand as the answer to a problem. Employers want problem solvers - show you fit their needs by highlighting all that you bring.

2. Cultivate your Network

Networking remains one of the most effective ways to land a job and often, and many jobs are not posted directly online. Building and leveraging genuine relationships can open doors you might not otherwise find.

Here’s how to do it:

• Map out your network: Think about former colleagues or friends of friends in your industry. Get connected with them. This is the baseline of connections so you have access to your connections (1st degree) and their connections (2nd 3rd) and their job opportunities and content.

• Build new connections and nurture existing relationships: Reach out to 10 people in your field or a company you would like to work for. Keep it simple and ask to “Chat for 20 minutes to learn more about ABC Company’s product”. Include a scheduling link to make networking with you easy.

• Follow industry thought leaders: Follow recruiters and professionals who are sharing jobs in your industry. When they create content or comment on others’ content, it gives you the opportunity to be part of the conversation and be seen.

3. Engage to Extend your Reach

Now that your foundation is set up, it’s time to engage with your community. Engagement through liking and comments is how you start a conversation within your extended network.

Aim to leave around five thoughtful comments daily on posts in your network. The goal here is quality, as your network will see these comments - which is a huge opportunity!

Comments should be treated as mini-posts as their visibility and interaction can connect with you new people in your extended network. Recently a comment I made about management strategies attracted the attention of a recruiter at a top VC firm. The same day I received an invite to interview from the Head of HR at a portfolio company and a referral referencing the recruiter. All in the same day. Engaging also keeps you top of mind.

Be part of the conversation:

• Consistently show up and support your network. Start by making ~5 quality comments and liking others’ content.

• Use this as an opportunity to connect with industry and content leaders that frequently post. Opening the opportunity to widen your network.

• Post 1-2 times per week about topics relevant to your field. These posts demonstrate your expertise to hiring teams.

It's easy as 1, 2, 3

Where should you start? When job seekers first become active it’s natural to first let your connections know that you’re open to a new role.

While it may seem a bit vulnerable to announce your job search, this is exactly what LinkedIn is for—connecting people with opportunities. The benefits far outweigh the 5-second discomfort before hit "post".

Take job seeker Jamie Yates for example. Her "Open to Work" post attracted 91 comments and 220 reactions and 17 reposts. The comment section is filled with people tagging and sharing new jobs and supporting her search. Instead of being a job search team of 1, Jamie scaled her reach and now 7,000+ people know she’s on the market.

Crafting your first post:

• Introduce yourself briefly

• Talk about your career achievements (including metrics driven evidence)

• Highlight your skills within your achievements

• Share what positions you’re looking for

• Include a call to action - How can people help you?

Happy Hunting!

Now that you have the blueprint to build your social profile, get out there! Remember, people can only help you if they know you and understand what you’re looking for. By building your online brand, nurturing your network, and engaging with your community, you’ll open the door to new job opportunities and get closer to that final YES.

Rooting for you!