Get Social to Position Yourself for a Great Career

The job market is tough out there.

Whether you’re a first-time job searcher right out of school, or you’ve been in the workforce for some time and are looking for something new, you need to make sure you’ve got what it takes to position yourself for the best careers.

Having a little something extra is always a plus, and right now that something may be strong social media skills.

So what are the attributes that make you good at social media? What is the difference in captivating social media and those posts that people want to hide?

Sure, anyone can write a tweet or Facebook post, but is anyone going to read it, much less share it?

Here are some skills important to good social media technique, as well as the why’s of the importance of these skills. Read on!

What makes good social media?

• Engagement – Readers want to feel a part of your world. If they’ve taken the time to follow you, give them something back. Engage them. Maybe ask for input or a question now and then, giving a venue to interact with you.

• Clear and concise – If followers want to read a lot, they can go to pages on your website. Social media is quick and clean; keep it that way. No one wants to sift through cluttered words or incoherent babble. Keep it clean, clear and concise, your readers will thank you. Leave the mistakes and misspellings out, too.

• Wit – No, you don’t have to be a comedian, but a bit of humor and wit in these short pieces keep your followers and those liking you coming back for more, maybe even sharing your posts.

• Consistency – It’s nice for those interested in you to be able to count on you. That doesn’t mean an onslaught of numerous posts every day, but keep a regular schedule so no one forgets about you. Maybe once a day, definitely a few times a week. You’ll become a part of their social media world that your followers can count on.

• Cover more than one social media outlet – Maybe Facebook is your favorite, but don’t forget about Twitter and Instagram, Pinterest and Google+. Everyone has their preferences, so get yourself out there so you can be part of everyone’s favorite – you’ll be wherever they go.

Why is all of this important?

Social media is part of our world now.

Even those not taken with it can’t ignore the fact that is part of marketing, communication and, yes, daily life.

A Society for Human Resource Management’s 2013 survey discovered that 77 percent of organizations use social networking sites to recruit potential job candidates. The report also pointed out that 69 percent of organizations use social networking tools to target and recruit candidates with specific skill sets, 67 percent turn to social networking to increase employer brand and recognition and 57 percent utilize it to permit potential candidates to easily reach out to their organization regarding employment.

If you are a soon to be jobseeker looking at how to position yourself for best paying careers before you’ve graduated or someone already in the field looking to better your position, don’t overlook the pros of being adept at social media.

Some companies have specific social media positions; others incorporate it and expect it from all positions. It’s a huge plus to have social media skills on your résumé.

So tighten up your tweets, perfect your posts and make sure your social media skills are top notch – you never know where they’ll get you.

Photo credit: thegradstudentway.com

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