Job Search Strategies

Recruiters actively look for talent via Twitter. But Twitter is not for everyone, so in this article, I’m going to be covering the pros and cons of using Twitter as a job seeker.  From this, you can decide for yourself whether Twitter is for you or not, because while Twitter does have its benefits, it is not for everyone.

The benefits of using Twitter as a job seeker

Twitter provides a vehicle to gain support if you have lost your job or you are in a position that is not working for you, as Twitter allows you to connect with others who can provide good support.

Twitter, allows you to tap into a wealth of free job search information across the globe.  The best and brightest minds in job search and career management are on Twitter and are available with a simple search.

Twitter is a good platform to locate job leads, as both recruiters and companies are increasingly hiring via Twitter. As a Twitter user, you can search for and follow relevant recruiters and companies that tweet about new, live job openings.  You can also use the #hashtag to locate jobs in your local area or for the type of job you are pursuing.  Plus major recruiters and companies are on Twitter such as Apple, KPMG, Hyatt, IBM, and so on).

Popular hashtags for your job search include:

#hiring or #NowHiring

#Jobs

#Careers

#TweetMyJobs

#JobOpenings

Twitter allows you to connect to the hidden job market and insider contacts. It also enables you to expand your network FAST if using the right tactics.

Finally, Twitter is great, in that it allows you to shape your online brand as an expert and build authority. If you are a professional, building an individual brand is becoming increasingly important.

However Twitter is not for everyone

While there are benefits to be had for using Twitter to promote and find a job, there are several downsides to using Twitter.

The first is that it can be really distracting. Yes, your main goal is to use Twitter for your job search, but you might find yourself easily distracted. You will get distracted when you get new followers, or distracted about daily updates, and read recommendations and articles that may or may not be useful.  If you are not careful you will get distracted from your key objective of building relationships and finding a new job.

Twitter can be addictive. Just like Facebook, you might find yourself addicted to the tool.

Twitter can also be time consuming and your Return on investment might be low, unless you use it effectively and strategically.

You do risk damaging, rather than enhancing your job prospects if you come across as too spammy (that is self promotional), desperate or you get involved in highly personal conversations.  (If you want to use Twitter for personal use, create two separate accounts and don’t use your name for your personal account, so for example for the personal one, you might use your middle name, or maiden name).

Also keep in mind if you are employed your company may not like you to use it.  When employed, you are not just you.  You are representing your company’s brand, so you need to be cautious how you use Twitter and find out about your employers policy regarding Twitter.

And finally, Twitter can take time to set up and get relevant followers and by relevant followers, I mean followers that are not spammy and can potentially assist you in some way during your job search.

So those are the pros and cons of using Twitter.

There are some career experts that rave about the tool and other career experts that think Twitter is overrated and a waste of time. For myself, I think Twitter can be a very useful tool if used strategically and in the right manner and if you are in a sector where Twitter is common (e.g. technical community, journalism). But I don’t think it is going to be detrimental to your job search, if you decide against using it and instead focus on other job search strategies, such as uncovering the hidden job market and networking.

Not all potential employers are created equal, so it is really important, before you decide to accept a job offer, or even before you prepare a job application, to decide whether this is the type of employer you really want to work for. 

Remember this is your career, so before you invest time in preparing an application, or accepting a job offer, it pays to ensure this is the sort of position you are interested in and that it provides good career prospects.

Below are some vital issues that you need to consider, plus some sample questions to ask a potential employer before, or during the interview. [Read more…] about Questions to ask a potential employer so you don’t end up with the job from hell.

SEEK’s latest drive is to get job seekers to create their very own SEEK profile, rather than just applying for jobs via job postings. The advertising goes something like this – put your talent out there – let opportunity come to you.  I’m sure you also recall their fairly recent TV advertising campaign.

With SEEK feeling the impact of LinkedIn it has tried to launch its own product.  I personally like SEEK’s company profiles, where job seekers have a really useful resource when they are applying for a job at a company with company reviews. But I don’t like the SEEK profile.  Why? [Read more…] about Why I personally don’t like the SEEK profile option

I have to confess that I’m fairly indifferent when it comes to my personal Facebook page. I’m not an avid poster of personal news and I can go weeks without checking it out (I’m currently on a 90 day Facebook detox). Whether you are an avid user, or like me, fairly indifferent, what most people don’t realise is that your Facebook page is an important tool during your job search strategy.

According to CareerBuilder’s annual social media recruitment study in 2015, the number of employers taking to social media to research applicants has risen to 52% (this is just the average, with the figure rising to 90% or more in the tech. sector). This figure is continuing to increase across all sectors and will probably become standard recruitment operating procedures.  Likewise Recruiters also use social media to assess candidates and headhunt talent. [Read more…] about Is Facebook ruining your career?

I’m sure many of you have had the experience of recruiters ignoring you, or the relationship turning stone cold. In fact this experience is not uncommon amongst many jobseekers. So the question you have to ask yourself:

Are recruiters a waste of time? [Read more…] about Are recruiters a waste of time?

Automation is Voldermort: the terrifying force nobody is willing to name – Jerry Michalski, Founder of Rex, The Relationship Economy Expedition

Experts all agree on one thing, that robotics and artificial intelligence will permeate wide segments of daily life by 2025 – Al, Robotics and the Future of Jobs, Pew Research Centre.

What they don’t agree on is how this technology is going to impact on jobs. In the Pew Research Centre report, half of the experts envisaged a future in which this technology will have displaced significant numbers of both white and blue colour workers.  The other half, expect that technology will simply mean a change in the type of jobs performed by humans.

What the report does not cover is the impact of outsourcing and offshoring and the on-demand workforce. The trend of outsourcing and the on-demand workforce is happening right now. [Read more…] about Are robots going to take over your job?