As online connectivity continues to evolve and social media use rises, digital recruitment methods are changing to keep pace. 

A recent report claims that up to 92 per cent of companies will use social media as part of their talent attraction strategy.

According to Social Media Statistics Australia, within the country there are currently:

• 3.8 million LinkedIn users
• 15 million Facebook users
• 2.8 million active Twitter users
• 5 million monthly active Instagram users

With social media taking an important role in recruitment, and with this many other users to contend with, getting a consistent and enticing image across your entire online presence can make all the difference.

If you're looking to use social media to help land yourself a job, and you should be, here are five tips to help get you started.  

Define your personal brand

Our digital identities shine the spotlight on us with the click of a button.

Personal social networking profiles are public domain, and therefore have the power to shape the way we are perceived by prospective employers.

Your personal brand should represent who you are, what you have to offer, and any professional aspects of your personality you wish to share with the wider public.

Social media platforms such as LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter are a great place to self-market your education, career, experience and achievements.

Remember, a picture is worth a thousand words; always choose pictures that are positive and consistent with the message you want to share with the world.

If you don’t want to turn your profile into one big professional ad that’s fine; you can usually control what is publicly visible, and what can only be seen by you or your friends.

Subscribe to industry news

Subscribing to industry news is a great way to gain access to the latest information, developments and events within your industry.

Industry groups on LinkedIn are a useful source of information and enable you to gain knowledge and insight through online discussions.

Harness the breadth of Twitter by following industry leaders, companies and various news sources to provide an aggregated view.

Following industry blogs will also keep you up to date on the trending topics.

Make an effort to share timely news within your field, especially on platforms Twitter or LinkedIn, even if only a few of your friends might find it interesting.

This will demonstrate your active interest and involvement within the industry.

Follow companies of interest

Australian businesses communicate, promote and share information very differently than they did just a few years ago.

Digital growth has cultivated a significant increase in businesses utilising social media platforms such as Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter as a means of sharing content publicly.

This growth has led to a wealth of information at our fingertips.

From CEO statements and organisational updates to job postings, the range of information is greater and more readily accessible than ever before.

As traditional recruitment methods decrease and social recruiting increases, following organisational career pages and companies of interest on social media will heighten your visibility of the latest job opportunities available.

Grow your online network

The evolution of social media platforms has revolutionised our ability to build and grow positive relationships online.

Establishing connections on LinkedIn specifically can assist in opening doors and professional opportunities, although depending on your field you might find Twitter to be an equally viable choice.

Connecting with recruiters, hiring managers and creating second-degree relationships with like-minded professionals within your industry, will assist in enhancing your network.

By expanding your virtual network, social media algorithms can deliver refined, relevant industry information and potential career opportunities to your newsfeeds.

Keep your social media privacy in check

In recent years social media accounts have become the fastest way for prospective employers to run a background check.

Knowing that potential employers often check your social media activity, it is important to keep private anything personal you would not want a hiring manager or potential boss to see.

This doesn’t mean deleting treasured memories from your account, but it’s wise to make sure any potentially embarrassing material can only be seen by your friends or yourself.

Clean up any ’digital dirt‘ by conducting internet searches in your name and consider removing or hiding any content that isn’t in line with your professional brand.

Adjust the privacy settings on your social media profiles where appropriate.

Clean up any ’digital dust‘ by deleting old social media profiles you have not accessed for a long period of time and which no longer add value.

When you sign up to new social media platforms, always familiarise yourself with their privacy policy and manage your privacy settings on the account.

If you use photo sharing social media accounts such as Instagram, cross check which images are set to private and public.

Always ensure your publicly-visible digital footprint is in line with how you would like to be perceived by future employers.

Article written by Mel Thomson – Business Partner, Recruitment within the Talent and Sourcing Team, Network and Service Operations nbn.