Even though it can seem to be a relatively daunting concept, it is possible to develop contact on social media to help you find a career, particularly in sectors that are notoriously difficult to enter.
In fields such as PR and journalism, there has been a rising popularity in the use of hashtags #PRrequest and #journorequest on Twitter. Despite this, there are still some things you chould do to ensure that you are maximising your opportunities through social media.
Follow people whose careers you aspire to
If you are researching journalists on social media, following them on Twitter is a great way to get to know about their career and engage in the field. Often, journalists have open messaging options so you can easily message them for advice if they are amenable to that. Many journalists are more than happy to help student writers.
Join career societies
Facebook is a great place to join groups of people with like-minded interests. Sometimes people can post freelancing or internship opportunities on Facebook groups, which is a fantastic way to gain exposure to opportunities from smaller companies. Since these companies are less likely to have the budget to advertise on LinkedIn and other job posting sites, there is a wonderful chance to see jobs that you might not see anywhere else!
Follow career specific accounts
With regards to journalism, there are specific accounts you can follow to find out about the latest opportunities. By far, the most popular one presently is ‘Journo resources’ which was created by Jem Collins to help level the playing field among journalists. As part of this, they regularly post updates on their social media channels to share important stories and jobs.
Follow the companies you would like to work with
A great way to learn more about a company and the type of people they recruit is by following them on social media. This allows you to gauge more about their corporate culture and identity, to see whether it really is the type of place you would like to work at! It’s also a perfect way to integrate reasons why you would want to work for a company into an interview – it can show that you have conducted background research on the company and know a bit more about their values.
Overall, social media can be a great way to interact with careers that you might not necessarily find on recruitment websites. However, you should ensure that your social media presence is positive and as neutral as possible! It’s best not to share your personal opinions on controversial topics online – companies might look for your social media accounts when employing you, so it’s always best to keep them as polished as you can.
