Social Media

Job Search and Reputation Management for Students.

Lloyd Curtis – lcurtis@uwyo.edu

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A few Questions

• How many here use Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, YouTube, or another social media site?
• How do you currently use social media?
• Have you used social networking in the job search?

LinkedIn and the Job Search

• LinkedIn is the largest for job networking.
• You can build a profile and showcase your abilities. It acts as a resume.
• You can network with others professionally by searching people in your field and people that you know.
• There are many groups that you can join to help you in the search.
• Here is an example: http://www.linkedin.com/in/lloydscurtis

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Facebook and the Job Search

• Facebook is used mostly for connecting to friends, but it can be a job search tool.
• Notes and Status update let friends know what you are looking for.
• Remember that friends of friends may have connections, so use the social aspect to your advantage.
• Potential employers are using Facebook more and more.
• Search for pages to like in your field of interest.

Twitter and the Job Search

• Tweets keep you in mind. Posting about interviews, and job listings you like remind people that you are looking
• Follow other people or topics that can help you in the job search *There is a link in the resources for a twitter teacher directory*.

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Why is it Important?

• 80% of employers search potential candidates online.
• According to CareerBulder.com (2011) 45% of employers screen applicants using social media.
• 29% in Facebook
• 26% in LinkedIn
• 7% in Twitter
• 11% look at blogs
• 50% will reject a candidate after looking at their Facebook page

What are they looking for?

• Clues to your personality.
• The kind of people that you associate with.
• What your strengths and weaknesses might be.
• How you will fit into the organization.

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What should you be aware of?

• Social Media IS your online reputation!
• According to Forbes, employers will judge you by what is in your profile.
• Do they follow the rules?
• Do they get along with others?
• Are they conscientious?
• Neuroticism: Do they dislike themselves?
• Are they open to new experiences?
• According to reputation.com, immediate flags are inappropriate photos, drug or alcohol abuse, lack of communication skills, racist or discriminatory remarks, or insulting a former employee.

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What should you be aware of? -cont

• Other concerns: Inappropriate email addresses
• Inappropriate images or comments on your page placed by others, or inappropriate content that you are linked to by others..
• Questionable tag lines or signatures on email or pages.
• Overall maturity.
• Finally: It is not just about employers. Parents and friends will see your social pages. They should see you as being a responsible and professional educator. This is critical not only in finding the job, but also keeping it.

Optimize your social media for potential employers

• Know how to use Facebook privacy controls to limit access. (more in references)
• Go to Privacy settings
• Change settings from �everyone to Friends.
• Be aware that if you have friended�anyone who might know your�employer or work with you, �information can still be accessed in �Facebook by that person.
• BUT: Employers should be able to find some information about you, just be judicious.

Optimize your social media for potential employers

• Google yourself. See what is out there before you start.
• Do:
1. Remove any questionable images or movies (including FB, Pinterest, YouTube, and Flickr)
2. Remove posts on your page, or comments on other pages that are questionable. (Tweets, Facebook, blogs, and other pages you may have posted)
3. Use proper language and punctuation. Remember, this is something that employers look for.
4. Change any improper email addresses to something more generic and professional. (get a new email account at Google mail in the format firstmiddlelast@gmail.com for professional correspondence)
5. Use professional usernames in any site that you will have a public presence in: lloydscurtis rather than surferdude420 (this includes LiveText for instance)
6. If inappropriate material exists on third-party sites such as blogs or discussion groups, ask the site owner to remove them.

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Still more optimize your social media for potential employers

• Do:
• Make sure your resume and your profile on LinkedIn matches.
• Make sure your screen name on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter all match. (keeps you from being mistaken for someone else)
• Remove any references to friend’s photos that you may have been tagged in.
• Ask someone that you trust to view your profile from the perspective of a potential employer.
• Be consistent: Use the same name across all your social sites.
• Don’t:
• Worry too much about what is buried deeply. Most employers don’t look at more than the first page or two. But remove it if you can.
• Change this approach once that you have landed the dream job. Remember that your online profile is your reputation. Employers, parents and friends alike will judge you by what they see online.

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Cleaning up Social Media Resources

• How to make Facebook private: http://www.ehow.com/how_4783846_make-facebook-private.html
• Six tips to clean up your social media profile: http://www.foxbusiness.com/personal-finance/2012/03/30/six-tips-to-clean-up-your-social-media-profile/
• 5 ways to clean up your social media identity: http://mashable.com/2010/07/06/clean-social-media-identity/
• Are you in control of your social media privacy?: http://mashable.com/2012/03/19/social-media-privacy-management/
• Social Networking Privacy: http://www.privacyrights.org/social-networking-privacy
• Job search and employee privacy: http://jobsearch.about.com/od/jobsearchprivacy/Job_Search_Internet_Privacy.htm

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What Employers Look For - Resources

• What employers are thinking when they look at your Facebook page: http://www.forbes.com/sites/kashmirhill/2012/03/06/what-employers-are-thinking-when-they-look-at-your-facebook-page/
• How recruiters use social networks to screen candidates: http://mashable.com/2011/10/23/how-recruiters-use-social-networks-to-screen-candidates-infographic/
• Hiring managers reveal social media secrets: http://www.businessnewsdaily.com/2377-social-media-hiring.html

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LinkedIn Resources

• Use LinkedIn as a Resume: http://jobsearch.about.com/od/networking/a/linkedinprofile.htm
• LinkedIn Profile Tips: http://jobsearch.about.com/od/linkedin/ss/linkedin-profile-tips.htm
• LinkedIn Learning Center: http://learn.linkedin.com/the-homepage/overview/

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Facebook Resources

• Facebook for Job Seekers: http://jobsearch.about.com/od/facebookjobsearchgroups/Facebook_Job_Search_Groups.htm
• How to job search on the new Facebook: http://money.usnews.com/money/blogs/outside-voices-careers/2011/10/07/how-to-job-search-on-the-new-facebook

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Twitter Resources

• Twitter4Teachers directory: http://twitter4teachers.pbworks.com/w/page/22554534/FrontPage
• 10 Steps for educators New to Twitter: http://justintarte.blogspot.com/2011/01/10-steps-for-educators-new-to-twitter.html
• TwitJobSearch: http://www.twitjobsearch.com/
• Twitter Job Search Tips: http://jobsearch.about.com/od/onlinecareernetworking/a/twitterjobsearchtips.htm

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http://uwedtech.blogspot.com/

My email: lcurtis@uwyo.edu

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