Top tips: Social media

Created by the University of Sheffield Careers Service. www.shef.ac.uk/careers

For more information on how social media can impact your employability, visit our website: http://www.sheffield.ac.uk/careers/students/gettingajob/media

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Transcript:

Thanks to Social Media we're better connected than ever before, information spreads instantly, and we have more videos of cats than you can shake a laser pointer at. We use it to share just about every aspect of our lives, which can be useful, but remember that all those Facebook posts, tweets, photos and videos end up scattered all over the internet and can usually be traced back to you. This is sometimes called your 'Digital Footprint', and how it represents you can have an effect on your employability.

Many employers use social media to screen applicants. Many of these will reject you if you give a bad impression, but they are just as likely to hire you if they see something they like. So don't let your digital footprint stamp out your chance of a job. Follow these 5 steps and you'll be on your way to social media success.

Step one: As a student or graduate, Linkedin is incredibly useful. Set up a professional profile, build a network of connections, join groups for insider knowledge and when you're ready you can even use it to search for jobs. Have a look at the Linkedin Higher Education pages to find out more. And while you're at it, why not check out the countless other social networks out there. There may even be one specially for your chosen industry.

Two: keep an eye on your security settings. Social networks, especially Facebook, change their privacy and security settings regularly so make sure you're not about to share those photos from last night's pub crawl with your future boss. Always remember that just because you made your post private, doesn't mean it will stay that way. Social media is about sharing and before you know it your comments could end up visible to anyone. Think before you post. Try searching for yourself online once in a while to make sure nothing inappropriate shows up. At the same time, make sure there's something for employers to see. Achievements, and relevant interests can look good to employers, so don't be afraid to show off. Make a few public posts now and then and show employers why you're the right candidate for them.

Three: make sure you're involved in the conversation. If you've got your heart set on a particular industry, you need to be liking, sharing, following, commenting and re-tweeting those who are already working in it. This will show that you're interested, help you keep up to date, build connections with people and even open up opportunities.

Four: Make yourself easy to find. As well as having public content on social networks, why not start a blog and write about a subject you're passionate about? Show off how much you've learned at university, write about achievements and popular topics. It's a great way to build your web presence.

And five: Social media changes all the time, so try to keep up to date with what's going on by following news channels and tech websites. And don't forget you can always speak to the Careers Service, use the resources on our website, in our library or attend our Social Media workshops if you want more help.

So what are you waiting for? Get yourself online and get networking. And while you're at it, don't forget to follow the Careers Service is on Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin and Youtube for opportunities, events, updates and more!

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