Many people use Facebook on a regular basis to stay in touch with friends and family, but few recognize the value Facebook can play in a job search. Most people find their jobs through people they know, and the affinities on Facebook are perhaps the strongest of any social networking platform. While we might connect with someone on LinkedIn, Google+ or Twitter that we don’t know very well (or at all), we are much less likely to do so on Facebook. The quality of the connections on Facebook lends itself to fertile ground for immediate and meaningful networking. Here are tips for getting the most out of the Facebook platform.
- Fill in all information about your work and education. While people tend to complete their profile on sites like LinkedIn, far fewer take the time to do so on Facebook. Completing the work and education section on Facebook makes it much easier for people to understand your experience should you reach out to them for job opportunities. The more complete the about section is, the greater the likelihood that decision makers will be able to find you.
- Use Graph Search to find people who may be able to help you with your search. Search profiles of users based on keywords. For example, if you are a financial services professional and one of your target companies is JPMorgan Chase in New York City, type “people who work at JPMorgan Chase in New York, New York” into the search box and see what results are returned. You may be able to source people who work there who you have a mutual connection with or just message them directly to make an introduction. Results will vary depending on how much information that person has completed on their about page and what level of privacy they have set.
- Troll company pages to learn more about companies you are targeting and engage with potential decision makers. Most companies have well-developed Facebook presences and many even have separate pages for people interested in working for them. Reviewing these pages can give you a window into a company’s culture and what makes it a great place to work. Job postings, open houses, and internships may be posted there as well. People who are in all professional roles including the C-suite, can learn a great deal from these company pages that can help them speak intelligently about the company’s culture and values during job interviews. Go a step further and “Like” the company page so you can see their activity in your feed and be part of the conversation.
- Follow groups based on functional roles. Facebook has pages with resources for many professionals. Key in your functional area of expertise and peruse the conversations going on there. Request to become a member of the group to comment and be part of the conversation.
- Review groups for leading professional associations within your industry. Professional associations are a great networking resource and supplementing live meetings with virtual engagement can be a great way to boost your network.
Facebook can be a great addition to your social media strategy and offer you an opportunity to source leads on a platform that most people haven’t considered as an integral part of their search. Don’t miss out!
