Depending on your age and where you are in life, odds are you use social media for one or two reasons– entertainment purposes, to keep up with your friends and family, or to share moments of your life. 

When it comes to social media and finding a job, most people elect to keep those two worlds separate. But what many of these people fail to see are all the ways you can use social media to help you get a job. 

As a company that specializes in helping people get jobs, we have identified various social media tips and tricks that can lead to employment. Today, we want to share them with you.

In this career tips article you’re going to learn about the following:

1. Using your profile as a digital resume
2. Networking on social media
3. Social media as a job
4. Using social media for education
5. Learning about employers using social media

As a Digital Resume

For better or worse, social media is a great way to understand what someone is like. And as many of us know, employers use this perspective to gain a better understanding of potential employees. For this reason, many people elect to keep their social media pages private. 

But those same people are missing out on the opportunity to show employers a more personal side of them. Employers want to see a candidate who is interesting and impassioned about life, someone who has hobbies and meaningful interests.

Social media is a great way to show the company you’re applying for that you’re someone who can get excited about things and someone people like to be around. So when you’re thinking about what pictures you should be posting or whether or not you’re profile should be private, keep this in mind.

Networking on Social Media

If LinkedIn showed us anything, it’s that networking on social media is very lucrative. But with so many social networking platforms in the world, why use only one? Every single day, people use the big three – Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram – to establish connections and help them find jobs. 

While you can use social media as a means of contacting people directly, you should also use it as a way to interact and engage with them. For example, say the CEO of a company gets interviewed and he or she reposts it on their feed. Why not comment on it with an intelligent thought? 

Or say someone from a company you want to work for posts something about an objective they met. Why not use that information to follow up with a question? The more you come to understand social media, the more ways you will be able to use it to establish meaningful connections and maybe even score a job.

Social Media as a Job

While LinkedIn showed us how to network on social media, TikTok and Instagram showed us how social media in itself can be a job. Even before the days of TikTok, people were using their knowledge of social media combined with their creativity and other skills to pursue careers in social media marketing and brand representation. 

Whether it’s as simple as being an influencer for a company and posting a picture wearing their clothes or as advanced as running an entire social media marketing operation, the market is littered with jobs in social media.

Depending on your knowledge of social media and the skills you have, you might be the perfect candidate for a job in social media. Browse tons of social media positions on our job listings page today.

Social Media for Education

With all the garbage that exists on social media, there are still several outlets and pages you can follow to stay educated on job tips, career advice, and more. For starters, if you like a company, follow them on social media. More often than not, they will make a post when they have open positions.

When searching for job tips and information on how you can get a job, social media becomes particularly useful. You can find tons of pages that provide information like resume tips, advice for interviewing, ways to dress, and plenty more.

Our totally unbiased and personal favorite page for career advice, job tips, and updates on the job market is WayUp. Follow us on Instagram and Facebook if you haven’t already!

Learning About Employers Using Social Media

After using WayUp to find current job openings and discover companies that are hiring, take to social media and find the company’s profile. Get a feel for their branding, their voice, and their message then see if it aligns with a company you see yourself working for.

Are their pictures of company culture? Do they promote similar beliefs as you? All of this and more can be better understood by examining a company’s social media profiles and presence. Just make sure the companies you’re looking at are hiring!

Using Every Tool in the Shed

While social media is a great way to help you get a job, we recommend using every tool at your disposal to help lock down that contract you’ve been looking for. At WayUp, not only are we a tool that helps students and recent graduates find jobs but we also talk about it on our blog.

So no matter where you are in the job search process, whether you’re just writing your first resume or you’ve been searching for a job for years, we’re here to help. Register with WayUp for free and start getting matched with employers today.

The post 5 Ways Using Social Media Can Help You Get a Job appeared first on Job and Internship Advice, Companies to Work for and More | WayUp Blog.

New year, new you? Here’s a different way of thinking about it: Try crafting a new online persona.

According to a study by CareerBuilder, 70 percent of employers are checking out your online presence during the recruiting process. And part of that examination is seeing whether you actually have one in the first place. That means simply putting yourself on private mode is not enough.

Employers want to see you not only putting your right foot forward online, but also doing so in a communicative and tech-savvy way. Here are a few tips on how to do that.

1. Pick One Social Account to Make Public

Let’s face it: There are some things that aren’t work-appropriate that we still want to post, even though we know not to. Even a caption with explicit lyrics or a squad photo with drinks on a beach could be considered too risqué for certain employers. That’s why you should have a designated public-facing account.

So, pick one platform like Instagram or Twitter that you’ll leave public (Facebook is usually strictly for “friends” anyway). Make sure you prune any inappropriate or negative content. Stick to the stuff that you think is important and representative of your personality.

This account can serve as a great way to show employers and recruiters that you’re a normal, intelligent human being who knows how to work a computer and form whole thoughts.

2. Get Active on Professional Social Media

Nobody wants to be that person who is constantly posting obnoxious “rise and grind” quotes on social media. However, by posting a few thought leadership articles about the industry you’re in (or hoping to enter), you can make a good impression without looking like a poser.

Don’t know where to start with this? Try reading a few articles per month from professional blogs, and posting one or two that stand out to you on your public social media account. This shows potential employers that you’re well read, curious, and serious about your career.

If you can’t think of any “industry” or professional blogs, try looking up your field plus “blog” or “newsletter” (e.g. “Marketing blog,” “engineering newsletters”).

3. Make a Website

Making a [your name here].com might be the perfect way to showcase yourself on the internet. This is especially useful if you’re in any sort of creative field, from writing, to marketing, to academia. You can use this place as a host for anything, from work examples to particularly-polished PowerPoint presentations. Even if the field you’re entering doesn’t require writing samples or a portfolio, it’s nice to be able to show that you’ve written, researched, or did something that takes effort and discipline.

4. Publish an Article or Research Paper

It’s not hard to get into the writing game, at least on an amateur level. Whether you’re writing about a college student’s perspective on your future industry, a reflection on your latest summer internship, or some sort of research you’ve done for school, it’s all valuable when it comes to showing your interest in the field.

You don’t need to pitch your article or paper to an official publication either. You can publish it on your own website (see #4) or a free blog like Medium. This will also make the process more convenient and freeform: On your own site, you’re the editor-in-chief.

5. Let Companies Know You’ve Applied on Social Media

If you’re particularly proud of your social media presence, then feel free to reach out on social media after applying. Sending them a tweet, a reply, or even a DM on Instagram letting them know that you’re excited about the company and the role can help to form the impression that you’re sociable and courageous. It’s also another opportunity to have employers check you out online, which can put you top-of-mind when it comes to decision time.

The post New Year, New (Virtual) You: 5 Ways To Boost Your Social Media Presence To Advance Your Career appeared first on Job and Internship Advice, Companies to Work for and More | WayUp Blog.

Many companies have a strong social media presence, so having an active social media presence is a great way to build your network and start branding yourself. You can reach a wide range of companies and individuals through social media and ensure that you keep yourself at the top of their minds throughout your job search. More and more students are finding jobs and internships through social media, so follow these tips to brush up on your networking skills and maybe you’ll be next.

1. Create a WayUp profile.

WayUp isn’t just a job site; it offers users amazing networking opportunities as well, because you have the chance to showcase both your skillset and your unique personality.The structure of your profile emphasizes the importance of hobbies and extracurricular activities as much as it does your work experience and coursework, so employers gain a better sense of who you are. Perhaps one of WayUp’s best features is that employers can request for you to apply to their jobs, so even if you’re not actively applying for positions, the more detail you include in your profile, the more likely you are to be contacted. In addition to reaching employers, you can expand your network within your university too by following and connecting with other individuals, including fellow students and recent grads.

2. Follow company social media channels.

Many companies dedicate a lot of time and effort to their social media channels and use them as a way to connect with potential employees. Follow companies you’re interested in on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and any other social media profiles they may have. Pay close attention to how they conduct their social media accounts including the written and video content that they post. Be engaged. Like or comment on a company’s posts or send a direct message if you particularly like a video, an image, or an article. Following a brand on social media will help you learn more about a company and having that knowledge will give you a leg up in a cover letter application or an interview.

3. Include your university major or profession in your social media bios.

When you apply for a job or internship or even when a recruiter is scrolling through social media accounts to find talent, having a professional social media presence will win you major brownie points. Ensure that all of your social media accounts represent the brand that you’ve built for yourself, because many companies will use your social media to gauge your personality. If your social media presence showcases that you’re a university student majoring in biology and that you are actively looking for an internship in your field, your profiles will stand out from those that don’t include that information.

Networking is so much more than just a networking event or two, so in order to get ahead of the game, make sure to beef up your social media networking skills. If you follow these tips, you’ll be off to a great start!

The post Top 3 Tips For Social Media Networking appeared first on Job and Internship Advice, Companies to Work for and More | WayUp Blog.

Social media is revolutionizing the professional world and is no longer just a source of entertainment and communication. Because it has become a tool for employers to find out more about their potential employees, it’s important to remember that having a professional online presence is a must.

Wondering if your profiles leave a good impression on employers? Check out the top mistakes to avoid making on social media below.

1. Publishing posts with excessive profanity or vulgar terms.

More and more, companies are interpreting social media as an indication of your character and if you’re cursing or using offensive language, you’re probably sending the wrong message. Hiring managers and recruiters will think that you will use that same language when communicating with other employees, clients, etc… and will most likely refrain from hiring someone who could cause a problem with customers later on.

2. Posting pictures with drugs or alcohol.

While most people enjoy a good party, branding yourself in this light is a big turnoff to employers. A company cannot afford to have its reputation tarnished through association with illegal and illicit activities, so hiring managers will usually write you off automatically. Employers will also begin to question how you will act at work and might even view you as irresponsible or careless and most importantly, they won’t take you seriously as a candidate.

3. Presenting yourself as a negative, pessimistic individual.

Employers are searching for candidates who will bring positivity, initiative, and motivation to a position, and if you’re constantly complaining on your social media profiles, they will assume that you will bring that draining energy and negativity into the workplace. In addition to having a negative attitude, be careful about what you say on social media about jobs and internships in general and especially about certain companies. You don’t want to insult a potential interviewer before you even walk through the door.

4. Sharing too much of your personal life.

When you are hired at a company, the individuals who will work alongside you need to be able to trust you with confidential information. If you document too much on social media, many managers and recruiters will assume that you will share details of the company and will therefore be hesitant to relay information to you. Trust is a major part of any job or internship, and if your manager distrusts you off the bat, it will be much more difficult to earn that trust back.

5. Lacking an ‘about you’ section.

Although having a full-length resume isn’t necessary, because employers are using your social media profiles to learn a little more about you, it’s beneficial to include some of your interests, hobbies, past and current experience, and your accomplishments in your profiles. If you created a video for a class or if a journalist wrote an article about you for winning an award, it’s worth sharing. These tidbits of your background will showcase your talents and will help an employer determine if you’re a good fit for the company.

As you peruse your social media profiles, always remember that whatever you put online never goes away, so make sure that you represent yourself well. You want to give yourself your best shot at getting an interview and receiving an offer, so cleaning up your social media could be the first step to landing your dream position.

The post Top 5 Mistakes To Avoid Making On Social Media appeared first on Job and Internship Advice, Companies to Work for and More | WayUp Blog.

Social media is much more than tweeting your feelings, posting an Instagram picture of you and your friends going out and wishing someone happy birthday on Facebook. In today’s age of the Internet and digital media, social media has become a tool for businesses, non-profits, government agencies and every day people to use daily. Social media expertise is an actual skill, one that every intern should have and one that will impress any interviewer you encounter.

Social media has a personal side and a business side, and sometimes the two overlap. For example, celebrities use social media to connect with their fans, but also to promote themselves. Companies use social media to shape their brand and also sell their product or message. Social media positions have found a permanent place in the communications department of companies everywhere. Whether or not that is something you see yourself doing, the ability to navigate social media in a professional setting is a skill you should learn in order to put yourself above the rest.

There are many problems and difficulties with social media that social media interns face. There’s the character limit (140 characters really isn’t much), the uphill battle to get more followers, conveying your message through a picture or graphic, engaging with your audience and ensuring that you are being true to the brand.

Problems can be tackled as a team as well as through learning and spending more time with social media. Anyone that desires to work in the communication field needs some sort of social media experience aside from personal interaction. You can take a social media class, read online articles or learn through experience.

These are a few things you should know:

1. You gain followers through following others too.

Unless you’re a major celebrity or well known brand, followers are not going to come naturally. In order to increase your followers on any social media platform, you’re going to need to follow others in your target brand, hashtag relevant or key terms and retweet or get featured.

2. Keep tweets to 100 characters or less for retweets.

140 characters isn’t much, I know, but keeping your tweet to 100 characters or less makes it retweetable or quote retweetable. Otherwise, users that want to retweet your tweet and add a quote will have to shorten your tweet themselves or they will get discouraged and won’t retweet at all.

3. Track your engagement.

On Twitter and Facebook, there are pages where you can track the engagement and statistics of everything you post: your links, photos and posts themselves. This is a great way to see what is working and discover what people like and don’t like. Constantly check this at least once a week; it’s a great way to teach yourself, but it also enables you to have statistics to show your supervisor too.

4. Get familiar with or learn how to use scheduling sites. 

If you’ve never heard of Klout or Buffer, google them and play around. Unfortunately, Instagram cannot be scheduled yet, but maybe someday it will be. On these sites, you can connect Twitter and Facebook accounts, so you can schedule posts out days in advance. They also analyze your statistics and target audience based on your followers and show you relevant articles that your followers may be interested in, which is another great way to tailor to your brand audience.

5. Images almost always do better than plain text posts.

Maybe it’s a visual thing, or maybe it’s that an audience reacts better to seeing than reading, but tweets with images and text get better attention from your audience and are more likely to be shared.

6. Participate in brand chats every week.

If you’re a style or fashion company, join #StyleChat every Wednesday afternoon with tons of brands and users. By participating, you will receive responses, give responses and gain attention.

7. Respond and interact with other users.

If someone tweets you, tweet them back. If someone comments on your post or picture, comment back. You don’t have to do this for every tweet or comment, but recognizing them makes it more personal.

When you’re interviewing for a social media position, discuss your skill set. It’s even better if you’re able to give statistics from your previous experiences. It will show the employer that you have a genuine interest and that you know what you’re doing.

The digital age of the Internet is among us, so take advantage of the technology to expand your resume and gain social media as a valuable skill.

The post Social Media is an Actual Skill appeared first on Job and Internship Advice, Companies to Work for and More | WayUp Blog.

Could Greek storytelling classes be more important for your social media future than a marketing or communication class?  Why do some companies want you to apply using Twitter while others require a full application online?  What does the future of social media look like and what tools should you be learning to be ahead of the curve?  What’s a KPI and why is data science an important part of social media marketing?

Last week, hiring managers and thought leaders from Olgivy + Mather (and InterviewingU), Google+, Nestlé Purina, and ClippPR spent over an hour dissecting the future of the social media industry and how you as a student can break into it.  The result was one of the most in-depth videos ever on the subject and a must watch panel for any students interested in social media.

If you have any more questions about the topic, please leave them in the comments below and we will forward them on to our speakers and get back to you asap.  Now, without further ado, please enjoy our panel below on “How to Become a Rockstar Social Media Professional!”

Questions we didn’t get a chance to answer:

If you want a role that asks for 2 years of experience but you don’t have it (but you have 1 to 1.5 yrs), should you still apply?

Amanda Pirtle, Nestlé:  I think this depends on the type of company you are applying to. For example, a large corporate company, like Purina, sticks very close to the minimum qualifications listed on the job description. If you do not have two years of experience, you will not be passed to the next phase of our resume review process. However, many smaller or startup companies may look over that you don’t meet the minimum qualifications exactly and take into consideration the type of projects you’ve worked on or the amount of school/type of courses you’ve taken. It is really important to consider the type of company you are pursuing before applying to determine how strict they will be on the minimum qualifications listed.

Nathan Parcells, InternMatch:  I agree with Amanda’s response above, although would add that the vast majority of SMBs and even medium sized businesses have some flexibility when it comes to these requirements, especially if you do have some experience that you can back up as being valuable.  These companies certainly do not want to hear from someone with no experience, but many will set a high initial bar to express their desired candidate, but remain open to someone who has close to the required skills and can adequately show in their resume, cover, letter and application why they are still the best fit or why other skills more than make up for the gaps they are lacking in the requirements.

I’ve drafted social media plans before but since I don’t currently work in a company with a social media role, I have not been able to execute them. What’s the best way for me to get someone to review them?

Amanda Pirtle, Nestlé:  I would recommend trying to make a connection with someone who has some experience in a social media role and work on developing a mentorship type relationship with them. Having a career mentor is a very important part of growing in your field. They can help you understand things within the field and in the business world that the classroom can’t. One way to go about that is to talk with your professors to see if they have any connections, go through any groups you are involved in at school or even look at your parents friends to see if any of them could provide any insight. You could also use LinkedIn to try to find someone in your local area that could help. Once you identify a potential mentor, you can set up informational interviews with those people to learn more about them and their roles. Building connections is a very important part of building your career.

Nathan Parcells, InternMatch:  I again agree with Amanda on this question.  One of the keys to building strong mentors is showing a deep interest in a field that they are currently a professional in.  Crafting a marketing plan and walking through it with them is an ideal way to spend a mentorship meeting and build a relationship   Family and friends are great people to check with to see if they know any social media professionals.  If not, you can talk to your marketing professors and TAs who typically have some industry experience/connections and can help make introductions.  Lastly, cold emailing can also work in particular if you email professionals who you are already following on Twitter and who you are truly interested in speaking with.

Any advice for students who want to start their own social media company?

Nathan Parcells, InternMatch:  Having started a company, albeit not a social media company, I commend you on the initiative!  Starting a company takes tremendous effort and work but the rewards in terms of personal growth and potential return are worth it.  The most important first step here is to build real relationships with mentors in the space.  Don’t build these relationships by pitching them on your idea, but instead mention that you are interested in the space and look to learn as much as possible about the process of starting, running, growing and succeeding in the field.  That’s the best advice I can give on what is ultimate a very large question!

The post How to Become a Rockstar Social Media Professional appeared first on Job and Internship Advice, Companies to Work for and More | WayUp Blog.

Social media jobs are among the top 10 fastest-growing careers in the United States, and for good reason: networks like Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest have been community-building and marketing powerhouses for nonprofits, small businesses, and corporations alike. As employers realize this, they’ve been hiring students to fill internships and entry-level positions in social media–who better to take these jobs than Gen Y-ers?

Are you prepared to start a career in social media? What kind of jobs exist across the different networks, anyway? Answer these questions and more during our event, “How to Become a Rock Star Social Media Professional“! Join our panel of experts and get a head start on the pertinent topics:

• What companies look for in a digital marketer
• How to manage your online presence for recruiters and hiring managers
• How to use social media to apply for jobs
• What roles exist and what they entail, from community management to content creation

Event Details

Expert Speakers:

• Nando Rodriguez and Charlene Narcelles, Senior Social Media Recruiter for North America and Talent Acquisition Manager for North America at Olgivy and Mather and co-founders of InterviewingU
• Amanda Pirtle and Emily Cloud, Director of University Relations and Marketing Associate, Nestle Purina
• Will Houghteling, Education and Community Partnerships Lead, Google+
• Thomas Knoll, CEO of ClippPR, former Community Architect at Zappos

When:

Wednesday, May 1st at 3 pm PST

How to Participate:

Join our Google+ event here!

After the event, you’ll gain access to a list of companies participating in “Kill the Cover Letter.” These employers want to hear from–and hire!–you, but only through social media. Stop reworking that tired cover letter and start brainstorming 140 characters to get you hired!

The post Careers in Social Media: Join Speakers from Google, Geico, Ogilvy, and More! appeared first on Job and Internship Advice, Companies to Work for and More | WayUp Blog.