With the remarkably low unemployment rate, 2018 is the year of the job seeker. Employers are faced with the challenge of creatively finding top talent to fill their open positions. This means that career opportunities are available just about everywhere we look. Utilizing different avenues, such as social media, can give you a break from the typical application process and get your information directly in the hands of hiring managers.
Many people use Facebook to engage with friends and family by posting updates and pictures about their life. But some have yet to discover the robust abilities that Facebook has for both active and passive job seekers. With over a year of experience spending hours inside of these features, I’d like to give you some tips from the other side of the social network that might just help you land your next career on Facebook.
1. Facebook Jobs
In 2017, Facebook rolled out its job platform to users in the United States. This feature allows job seekers to search and filter positions available in their area. Each job posting has details about the position, salary information and a link to apply. When you apply through Facebook, it gives you the ability to enter your education and work experience into a form. Facebook takes the information that you entered and creates a PDF resume that companies can download and begin the hiring process with.
It should be noted that when the job poster receives the application, it comes through in two ways. The first is through a message to their inbox, which automatically puts you in contact with someone in the company. The second is in a database, where your information is accessible by the job poster at any time. These are two great advantages as they allow you to send over additional resources to the company, inquire about your application status or find out more information about the job. This also provides the opportunity to be contacted through the social network in the future about other positions if the one you applied to isn’t a good fit.
2. Local and Industry Groups
More than likely, there are groups dedicated to job seekers in your city, county or state. There are also many groups created for individuals in different industries. If Facebook groups don’t exist for your area or for your type of job, there are other kinds of groups like local buy and sell groups, that you might be able to join and leverage in your job search. Many recruiters and hiring managers will post in these groups to reach individuals in a specific area or trade. As an employer, we post our open positions every couple of weeks. These groups are a great way to stay up to date on the latest positions in your area or field of work. Often times Facebook groups are private, so if you decide to post in the group, it won’t be visible to your friends or family on the social network platform.
3. Leverage Your Network
Though Facebook doesn’t carry the same professional weight as LinkedIn, the social network, in my opinion, is the ultimate resource for networking opportunities. I would argue that your Facebook friends are your strongest connections out of all of your social media networks. It is a great tool to ask for recommendations, or catch up with old friends who might be able to lead you to your next career move. Utilize your friends list to see where your connections are working and don’t be afraid to reach out if something sounds like it could be a great opportunity for you!
Not totally convinced that you are going to find your next job on Facebook? Consider these tips to make sure that you are utilizing all aspects of your LinkedIn profile to accelerate your job search.
