Tweeting and Posting Your Way to a Thriving Social Résumé
Your résumé and cover letter can only convey so much. Your social résumé, however, offers endless opportunities to paint a clearer, more comprehensive picture of your professional expertise. It's a combination of all your professional social networks, profiles and blogs. It's what employers find when they Google you.
Use the social résumé to your advantage.
Here's why: A Microsoft survey from 2010 found that 70 percent of human resources and recruiting professionals have rejected job applicants because of their online reputation.
To significantly increase your chances of bagging that job, give these HR and recruiters something compelling to find upon their Google search. Here's how to build a thriving social résumé:
Follow the Company on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, etc.
Most companies use social media in some way or another--whether it's to promote their products, content or job opportunities. It's imperative that you stay updated on whatever it is that's filling their social media streams.
Following these companies is a great way to stay abreast on company news, events and more. Don't stop there. Follow officials by selecting the "people" filter when you search the company name in both LinkedIn and Twitter. Many companies also have Instagram, Pinterest, Google+ and Facebook accounts.
If you want to go one step further to stay on top of company news, set up a Google Alert for the company name. This way you'll get an email every time something newsworthy happened at your desired company.
Create a Daily Social Media Routine to Stay Active
Now that you've followed all the right companies and people, it's time to get proactive. If you haven't already done so, create a strictly professional account for LinkedIn, Google+ and Twitter. Here's just an estimation of how much time you should be spending each day to maintain your professional, social résumé:
a. 30 min: Blog regularly. Blogging is an amazing way to convey your enthusiasm, interest and technical skills to your potential employers. If you regularly maintain your blog, it can tell an employer so many positive things about you that your résumé and cover letter would never be able to convey alone.
b. 15 min: Tweet. Follow experts in your industry--people you admire, your colleagues and writers who cover your field of work. Then, spend some time tweeting your latest blog post. Tweet at your favorite companies about something interesting they've shared. Offer your own insight in 140 characters.
c. 20 min: LinkedIn. Share your recent blog post on LinkedIn as well. Much like Twitter, LinkedIn allows you to read up on industry news (via LinkedIn Today) and cultivate connections. However, unlike Twitter, LinkedIn's connections are a little higher quality. Twitter is sometimes fleeting; someone you interact with once may not interact with you again. LinkedIn, however, only allows you to connect with first, second or third degree connections. Spend some time sending folks in your network emails about informational interviews and potential opportunities. Networking is key.
d. 5 min: Google+. Google+ may not be as popular, but it's still worth sharing your blog post and joining like-minded professional groups. Though the community is small, it is highly interactive.
Craft a Thoughtful Bio
Your bio is a crucial element of your social résumé. Michael Margolis, CEO and founder of Get Storied, recently did a post for the productivity website 99u.com that stresses the importance of your online bio. "People work with people they can relate to and identify with," he writes in the blog post. "Trust comes from personal disclosure. And that kind of sharing is hard to convey in a résumé."
Your bio should tell your unique, authentic story. Share your personality, vision and what you offer.
Ritika Trikha is a writer for CareerBliss, an online career community dedicated to helping people find happiness in the workplace. Check out CareerBliss for millions of job listings, company reviews, and salary information.
