≡ Menu

Networking Via Social Media to Enhance Your Education Job Search

networking via social media to enhance your education job search

More educators are using social media sites to network with others to increase job search and career success. Do you currently use social networking websites to reconnect with your friends and relatives or to meet new friends and colleagues worldwide?

Have you ever considered using them for your job hunt?

There are several ways to strategically use social media channels to find teaching jobs. By familiarizing yourself with these platforms’ particulars, you can identify career leads.

Uncovering unadvertised employment opportunities is commonly called finding job leads using the hidden job market. Quite often, jobs found this way are the best quality leads.

Social Media Networking Sites to Consider

First, you need to be familiar with the different types of social networking sites and their purpose and objectives. Social media platforms like Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and similar websites may vary in several ways, including the format of the interface, delivery methods, and the amount of shared information that can be shared through the network.

On the other hand, these sites have been designed to provide the public with a venue to establish — and communicate with — their network of friends and professional contacts. Because of this structure, social networking websites have become extremely useful and widely used for sharing and accessing information about various employment opportunities.

LinkedIn

LinkedIn is considered the most professional social networking site, so we’ll begin by explaining its inner workings. On LinkedIn, you create a professional profile (including a professional headshot or photograph of yourself) that details your work experience, volunteer experience, job duties, and even your professional goals. If you want to optimize LinkedIn’s benefits, you will need a compelling profile.

Here, you’ll network with other professionals by making connections. LinkedIn can suggest individuals for you to connect with, but finding people you currently work with or have worked with in the past would be an excellent way to start. I wrote an excellent article on how to grow your LinkedIn network properly.

The more you complete your profile, including your educational background, answer questions about individual work experiences, get references, and upload a photo, the better you’ll appear in search results. LinkedIn is designed to optimize search results for those with “All-Star” profiles, so complete as much as you can. Transform your LinkedIn profile into a fantastic career tool and see the benefits of your efforts.

LinkedIn is a professional networking site. It is not in your best interest to post large amounts of personal material. Limit any pictures posted of friends and family verbalizing political or religious views unless this information relates to your professional career (such as if your family volunteered at a food drive together).

Facebook

Facebook can benefit in many ways. However, it’s mainly used for personal reasons. Here, you can connect with family and friends that you may otherwise not connect with on LinkedIn. It’s designed to house more personal information, such as family trips, conversations between buddies, and other private events.

If you choose to use Facebook for job searching, be wary of what personal information you include. Also, make sure that everything you post on your professional Facebook account is appropriate for a recruiter’s eyes.

Twitter

Twitter is both a personal and business platform. Over the years, it has branched out in many other ways. Job seekers are now using Twitter to follow and engage with school districts or companies they’re interested in learning more about and potentially applying for a new position.

As stated above, keep your professional Twitter content appropriate and engage with any company representatives the way you would during an interview (no “keyboard warriors,” please!)

How to Choose the Social Media Networking Site(s) for You

To use social networking sites as a valuable tool for your job search, you must choose a network based on your interests, strengths, and personality.

If you made many contacts during college, Facebook is one of the best sites to gather and improve your networking contacts. LinkedIn is a practical option if you have an internship or are currently employed as a teacher or administrator. You can further enhance your social networking profile by using supplemental sites like MySpace and Twitter to develop your network.

Keep Your Activity on Social Media Professional

When you get started, remember that your social network’s primary foundation is you. This means it will all depend on how you share information or present yourself in your profile. Remember to uphold a professional image and be responsible for all information you post and others in your profile.

Sharing appropriate content that shows your personality and passion will allow you to build your professional brand and credibility among your network of peers and professional contacts.

Remember to include vital information in your account profile, such as your full name, teaching area, contact information, personal interests, former and present employers, education, and other information to help create your professional image.

Social Media Advantage Tips

To fully take advantage of the benefits offered by social networking sites for your job search, always ensure that you are creating a network of quality contacts. They will play a significant role in helping you find the job you are looking for within your field, so naturally, you need to have a network that shares your interests.

If you need help developing a solid online presence, including polishing up your social media networking profiles, contact Candace today! If you have any tips to offer fellow job seekers about their profiles, please comment and share below!