We often work with people who are still employed but who have seen the writing on the wall for the future of their companies. They seek us out to proactively start their job search process before they find themselves in a desperate situation. Many who are currently employed are nervous about sending any signals that they are seeking new opportunities. So what can you do to keep your job search confidential while using social media?
LinkedIn
LinkedIn offers many helpful ways to prevent your current coworkers from suspecting you’re looking for a job. For instance, when you join groups on LinkedIn, you can choose to not have those groups displayed on your profile. You can also set your privacy settings so people can’t tell when you’ve looked at their profiles—although the tradeoff is this will disable your ability to know who’s looking at you. Lastly, you can choose to not have your news feed publicly displayed, so it won’t be obvious you’re adding new colleagues or connections.
Facebook
If you keep your personal Facebook account and your professional contacts separate, Facebook becomes a very easy place to seek out information related to new career opportunities. Many companies and organizations have Facebook pages you can “like” to get more information about the company. Some even have a “We’re Hiring” tab with job opportunities posted right on their page. Facebook is also a great place to get in touch with old school friends or neighbors who may not be professional contacts on LinkedIn, but who might have a great way to help you land your next job.
Twitter
Twitter is a great place to get yourself noticed as a voice in your field. If you’re looking to stay in your current field, posting articles or other content related to your work on a Twitter account shouldn’t raise any eyebrows among your colleagues. If you’re looking to change industries into something where you have a personal interest, no one can really question your tweeting about your hobbies and interests. The good news is other people in whatever field interests you can come across your tweets, start following you, and build an online relationship based on your common interests.
If you become savvy with social media display and privacy controls, these sites can offer you a fantastic opportunity to put yourself out there as a passive candidate. Just make sure you’re updating these sites on your own time, so no one can accuse you of wasting company resources.
Recent studies show 70-80% of people are not leveraging LinkedIn efficiently. Are you one of those job seekers who are getting lost in the shuffle? The fact of the matter is, if you don’t have a noticeable online presence you do not exist for some hiring authorities. If you’re in a job search it’s time to invest in professional LinkedIn profile development and start getting noticed.
[This article was originally posted on an earlier date]
Jessica Holbrook Hernandez, CEO of Great Resumes Fast is an expert resume writer, career and personal branding strategist, author, and presenter. Read more » articles by this approved career expert | Click here » if you’re a career expertPhoto credit: Shutterstock
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There you are: sitting on the beach, covered in sunscreen, reading your favorite book, drinking your favorite drink under the cool shade of an umbrella. Life doesn't get any better than this. Suddenly, a door slams, a phone rings, a printer turns on. You jolt back into consciousness. You're at work, sitting in your cubicle, without even a hint of sunshine streaming in from outside.
When you're working a full-time job, finding time to enjoy the warm, bright summer weather can be a challenge. This is especially true for young professionals, as many of them are used to having summers off (or, at the very least, having a flexible summer schedule). But there's no need to feel trapped behind your cubicle walls. Go out and enjoy summer!
Here are a few tips for making the most of your summer while working full time.
1. Grab Some Foldable Chairs
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Keep a couple of foldable camping chairs at the office so you and a co-worker can catch some rays during lunch—whether it's in the park or the parking lot.
2. Keep A Beach Bag In Your Car
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Keep a bag full of summer supplies for your favorite summer activities. Having a bag (or, in my case, a backseat) full of towels, sunscreen, and swimwear keeps you prepared for anything. Friends hitting up the pool after work? You're covered. Once the clock strikes five, you can head to your destination of choice immediately.
3. Plan An Office Outing
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Plan an office field trip to the beach, the park, or the pool. Just do something fun so your brain can recharge and refresh!
4. Organize Group Walks
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Get a bunch of co-workers together and go on regular walks around town during lunch. (Or you could suggest a quick jaunt over to the ice cream shop.) This is a great way to get some fresh air, sunshine, and exercise.
5. Eat Lunch At The Park
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When you find yourself eating out, hit up places with a deck, porch, or patio of some sort. Obviously, eating out every day isn't really a feasible option for most of us, so look into alternative ideas as well. Pack a lunch and hit the park for your own little picnic.
6. Organize Office Sports
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Whether it's setting up an official office sports team or just hanging out with your colleagues a few times a week, playing sports is a great way to get out and enjoy the weather. Have a field nearby? Try setting up some slow-pitch softball games. Or see if you can get a basketball hoop for the office so you and a few co-workers can shoot some hoops at lunch.
7. Join A Professional Group
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During the summer, professional networking groups often have fun events like harbor cruises, pub crawls, and outdoor mixers. Find a professional group in your area and make networking fun this summer.
8. Have An Office BBQ
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Get your grill on! Talk to your boss about setting up an office BBQ. Ask everyone to contribute their favorite dish, side, or drink. Fire up the grill and relax! Hey, it's summer after all.
9. Wake Up Early
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Yes, yes, I know...waking up early is an incredibly painful and unbearable experience for some of us, but waking up even an hour earlier has its benefits—especially in the summer. Go for a morning run, putter around in the garden, or watch the sunrise with a loved one. Talk about starting the day off right!
10. Strategically Use Your Time Off
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Strategically use your vacation days around holidays. This way, you can make a potentially long weekend longer without having to use too much of your precious vacation time. Half days are also pretty awesome. It's amazing how much you can do with four extra hours! If you want an early weekend but don't want to burn up your vacation days too quickly, try taking a half day on a Friday instead of using a full day off.
11. Bike To Work
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If you're one of the lucky few who live within walking or biking distance of work, take advantage of it! Not only will you get plenty of fresh air, but you'll also save money on gas, which is always a plus!
There are plenty of easy ways to enjoy summer when you work a full-time job. So this summer, try out a few of these ideas and make the most of the sunshine and warm weather—while they're still around!
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