When you think of social media in terms of careers, LinkedIn is probably the first network that comes to mind. But as social media becomes more and more prevalent in every aspect of our lives, it seems like lots of other platforms are suddenly relevant to the hiring process. But now that it seems like everybody is social media savvy, you’re going to have to do a little bit extra to get noticed online.
Here are 5 unusual ways that you can use social media to help you get that job or internship you’ve been eyeing!
1. Ask companies if they’re hiring and tweet them your work
The point of social media is communication—and that doesn’t have to be limited to just mass communication. If you’re wondering if a company you’re interested in is hiring, don’t be afraid to tweet at them and ask!
“One other thing that I have done is use Twitter to get the attention of a company/organization, by tweeting at them to ask if they’re interested in contributors/new staff, and then using the contact info they follow up with to send a full cover letter,” Alaina Leary, a first-year graduate student at Emerson College says. “It has genuinely helped me get in touch with several of the magazines I work for now, including Luna Luna Magazine, which I’m now an assistant editor for.”
A lot of times, companies are hard to reach by email or snail mail, and sending a letter of inquiry asking about available positions isn’t going to guarantee you a response. Of course, a tweet won’t, either, but it’s much easier and more time-effective for both you and the company to just exchange a few tweets. If you have your portfolio available in your bio or tweet out links to your work, that’ll speed up the process even more!
2. Set up a Pinterest board showing how you’d complete a project
Pinterest can be used for more than just finding your favorite new DIYs and planning out outfits! Take the time to make a board showing how you would work on an existing project or campaign that the company is working on.
“One of our past applicants created a sample Pinterest board to show off how she would engage new people in our bake sale fundraising campaign,” Katie Riley, Campus Program Coordinator of scholarship-providing nonprofit organization She’s the First, says. “Taking the initiative to show a real project gave us a sense of how she could contribute to the team in a really practical way!”
Some companies use Pinterest’s business feature, which allows them to share content there—make sure you’re pinning their boards and coming up with your own boards related to what they’re putting out. Finding innovative ways like this to use social media to show off your skills will let employers know that you understand the ins and outs of the internet.
“Just a few short years ago, being a millennial was enough to make you super qualified for a position working in social media. As more and more brands and organizations are establishing a presence online, it takes more than knowing what ‘the Facebook’ is to stand out,” Riley says.
Related: 7 Great Ways to Find a Part Time Job
3. Engage with related content on Twitter and Instagram
Employers want to know that you’re really interested in their business’s message. It’s very common for an interviewer to ask why that messages resonates with you, and it’s also very common for applicants to blank on that question. Googling it works, but actively engaging with related content on social media shows that you really care. If you’re looking to intern with a local newspaper, follow them as well as other news organizations and retweet their posts in a way that shows you understand and are passionate about current events.
“A great way to use social media to get ahead is to show that you’re already engaging with our cause and the issues we focus on, and using your online platform to educate others,” Riley suggests.
Recruiters want to know that you’re genuinely interested in their values. By following similar brands or organizations on Twitter, or using hashtags that promote a certain brand’s cause or campaign, you’re sending a message to employers that you really are interested in the work they’re doing.
“A thoughtful comment can impress a recruiter enough that they approach you about a job,” says Heather Huhman, Founder and President of PR Firm Come Recommended.
If you do that enough, a quick Google search of your name might even bring back one of those posts. This also means that any of your other posts could show up, too, so make sure you’re consistent and professional across all platforms!
“These days people will Google you to get a feel for who you are,” Mo Krochmal, Co-Founder and Executive Editor of Social Media News New York, warns. “Your social presence shows up in search. Know what is out there on you and be professional.”
Engaging with related content also allows you stay connected to what’s happening in the industry even if you don’t have the time to pick up a newspaper or turn on the TV and watch a news report.
4. Be direct!
Responding directly to the company’s posts can also help get you noticed. That way, a simple click on your Twitter icon or your Instagram profile lets them peek into your life and what your goals are.
“I think it helps if you show your social media presence in a positive way by re-tweeting your prospective company’s tweets or reaching them out to Twitter to ask a question or share feedback,” says Kristen Kraemer, a Rutgers graduate of 2010. “It’s a different way to get in touch with them… because emailing doesn’t always work. It also gives them a chance to view your profile and see the things you’re interested in and how you interact on social media.”
If you can get the company to notice you online and give them a peek into your professional and personal life, they might just recognize the name on the resume when you send it in.
5. Put your best foot forward—but don’t exaggerate
By now, everybody knows that most people stretch the truth a little bit on social media, and sometimes go through a lot of editing or retaking pictures to get the perfect shot to post on Instagram. When it comes to job searching, we all want to make ourselves look like the perfect applicant, but it’s in your best interest to make sure you’re honest about who you are and what you do. Employers realize that it’s unlikely for you to be completely perfect (but it’s definitely important that you keep a clean, professional social media presence)!
“One of the most important parts of a job hunter’s online brand is honesty,” Huhman says. “It might be easy to create a personal website that makes you shine, but if it’s all exaggerations, it’s not going to help your chances of being hired. Eventually a company will discover that you weren’t completely honest and that can be a deal breaker for hiring managers.”
If your Instagram bio says that you help raise orphaned baby seals or that you’ve volunteered more than 100 hours at the local hospital, when in reality all you’ve done is watch a seal documentary or spent a couple hours at the hospital, employers will catch on. When it comes to the job hunting process, lying about yourself online—whether you intend for a future employer to see your social media posts or not—is just as bad as lying on your application or in your resume.
Next time you’re applying for a job or looking for an internship, think beyond just the standard cover letter and resume! Of course, those are important—but having a solid social media presence and using these 5 tips can help you get ahead in the game and really catch an employer’s eye.