Social Skills Lead to Better Career Options

The career search can be stressful. In fact, it usually is.

These days the search takes place beyond career fairs and resumes, you’ve got social media to help you.

But you need to know how to use it to your best advantage, and there definitely are some keys to knowing how to do this.

What social media to hit up?

We’re all aware of the big names and what they can do. But what is out there besides Facebook, Google+ and Twitter?

Along with the big guys, it’s also good to take a look at some social media that has a smaller following, especially ones with a niche:

• If you are in a creative or design industry, use Pinterest. Create a job board and add your own visually appealing pins. You can use infographics for you resume including charts and graphs that depict and illustrate your work self. Think of your headline as your resume headline. A board of inspiration and quotes that reflect you is a good idea, along with any links that show your talents and what you have done already.

• Try Blogging. It’s easy enough to get a blog page up and running, try Word Press or Blogger. You can write about your job search, your goals and your background. It’s a great place to have something all about you and you never who may stumble on it. Once you’ve written your blogs, put them out onto your social media platforms, including LinkedIn and you never who they may get to.

• Jobster is a smaller social network site related to careers. You can post your career profile and your resume. It’s a platform where you can connect with those hiring as well showcase yourself.

• Ecademy is like LinkedIn, but has its own advantages. You create an online profile where you share your career goals and skillset. It’s dedicated to networking rather than a place to find actual job posts, but who you know is a rather big part of the job search.

What to search and key in on…

When you are looking for a particular job, whether you are straight out of college or already a little settled in your career, you need to focus on specifics.

The Internet is too big to randomly search, and when you can narrow down your goals and what you are looking for, you’ll have an easier time finding it.

Not only can you find jobs and employment on the Internet, but you can also find related topics to help in your search, like what employers are looking for and top skills in a specific field.

Here are examples of specifics to search … tailor these ideas to fit your skills and objectives:

•           Take a look at the Top 5 career skills for architects and engineers

•           Career outlook for physical therapists

•           What are the top cities for jobs in medical research?

•           Top 5 things employers look for in education careers

The Internet is a great tool for job searching. Narrow down your field, your area, and utilize social media.

The more “socially” skilled you are, the better your search can go.

Good luck with your search! Share with us any great tips you have that got you where you want to be.

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