Are You LinkedIn? Using Social Media in Your Job Search

Ask the Resume Writer

Q: Can social media and networking sites like Facebook and LinkedIn help my job search? Which is best for job seekers?

handshake sm

A: Professional networking sites are now a crucial component of today's job search. So it's not surprising that many of my clients ask for my recommendations on which sites work best. While all of the networking and social media sites can all be effective - I recommend LinkedIn for your job search. Here's why:

LinkedIn is "all business." It is designed primarily for professional (not social) networking. It's not for sharing your kid's photos, music, videos, quizzes, or other fun stuff.
80% of companies use LinkedIn as their PRIMARY tool to find employees.
Recruiters believe that if you aren't on LinkedIn, you don't exist.

Bottom line: You need a LinkedIn profile.

Mixing Business with Pleasure? Don't!

Can you also have a Facebook or MySpace page? Of course! But use it strictly for personal networking, and make sure your privacy settings are set high so that only your friends and family can see what's there. Remember that MOST employers Google the names of job candidates.

Even with your privacy settings in place, think VERY carefully about anything you post to your Facebook page. You already know that when you write on a friend's wall, everyone can see it. But keep in mind that when you post a photo on your own wall, a friend can save it. So even if you delete it later, you have no control over it.

Another reason to keep your Facebook page private: It may include information about your marital status, religious affiliations, politics, kids, age, etc. This is fine, as long as you set your privacy settings high. There's a reason this kind of personal information isn't included on your resume. Don't give the hiring manager any reason to pass you over!

Your LinkedIn Profile

It's important that your networking profile is as effective and well-written as your resume. Since social networking is so essential these days, we're offering our clients a new service -- online profile writing. Once we've developed your resume, we can also create a succinct summary of your background that you can paste into LinkedIn, The Ladders, or other professional networking sites.

I'll have more to say in future articles about building your brand and preserving your online reputation. Your online presence and your "personal brand" should be professional, positive, and consistent - ideally with a message about the value you can deliver to a potential employer.

Do you have a question about resumes or the job search? Email it to us!

Deborah Schuster is a Certified Professional Resume Writer and President of The Lettersmith, a resume writing and career marketing firm in Southeast Michigan.