Hopping into the job hunt? Maybe you're just getting out of school, maybe you're looking to switch vocations, or maybe you're trying to get back into the swing of things after a pause in your career. Whatever the case, it's important to know that the job search landscape has seasoned quite a bit since the years of newspaper clippings and cold calling.
Related:5 Tips For A Safe Online Job Search
Of course, people still interview over the phone and the classified ads still have their place. But these days, the bulk of job openings are created, stored and promoted on the sprawling arabesque we know as the World Wide Web.
Consider this stat: As of 2012, 92% of companies reported plans to recruit via Social Media.
Dos & Don'ts Of Digital Job Search
The game has changed drastically, and it's up to job hunters to respond accordingly. Not every company recruits with the same philosophies, so it's important to be flexible. Nevertheless, here're the catchall dos and don'ts of digital job search:
DO customize every job application to the best of your abilities. Granted, it's a pain to edit and re-edit your resume before every submission, but rest assured it's well worth the time investment. It's painfully evident when you send in a boilerplate resume – you're not fooling HR. With eyes everywhere and digital records of all your applications, you have to make yourself dynamic.
DON'T be loosey-goosey with your social media accounts. How many social networking career blunders can you count from
2013 alone? If your Facebook and Twitter accounts aren't set to private already, be sure to do it
now. There's no sense in disqualifying yourself from a job because your own irresponsibility. Be smart about what you post, be private with your posts and keep your finger on the pulse of social media safety safety as more information is written on the topic –
here is a good place to start.
DOuse your social media accounts to your advantage. Social networking can affect your career negatively
or positively. Take the time to follow industry leaders, communicate with like-minded people and show off a little of what you know. When a recruiter takes a look at your web presence, he or she may be impressed with the way you compose yourself and your breadth of knowledge.
DON'T talk too much. They say word travels fast, but with the advent of the Internet, it's traveling faster than ever before. If you're already employed and looking for a job elsewhere, be careful who you confide in. Share your aspirations only with people you really trust, and be
extremely conscientious of how you present yourself in your current position, even if it's the worst job you've ever had. You never know who knows who – or in this case, who
tweets who.
Once you've built yourself a solid web persona, don't be scared to go out there and get to work. Send around a personalized resume and start interacting with recruiters in every medium possible. Before you know it, you'll be off the market and all set to start the job of your dreams.
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