How to Use Social Media To Improve Your Chances of Getting an Interview

When you submit a résumé for a job, you are competing against many people. Naturally you want your résumé to stand out. You want that interview! I heard a story on NPR about social media biographies and through a New York Times article I found these examples, bperson.googlepages.com/home and rohitbhargava.typepad.com/socialmediabio/ . Whether you create a social media biography or list your social media links in your paper résumé, this article will help you avoid some social media mistakes.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

1. Know your neighbors. If your blog resides on an online community, check and see what other types of blogs that community hosts. While your blog is professional, others may not be. You don't want that future employer to judge you by your neighbors. If the community does not enhance your reputation do not include it in your social media biography or résumé.

2. Social media is a great place to express your political opinions and say whatever you want. That is your right. Other have the right to disagree with you. Do you want to show your future employer opinions or thoughts that they might disagree with? Remember, use your social biography and résumé to make a great first impression.

3. Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, and the many other social media platforms are great tools. It's the content that may get you in trouble. If you use Facebook, for example, to keep in touch with your friends, will that information impress your future employer? If yes, include it. If no, don't include a link to your Facebook profile. You may want to create two Facebook, MySpace, etc. accounts one for your personal life and one for your professional life.

4. Your user name and email name is important. They say something about you. For example, [e-mail], [e-mail], or [e-mail] may be great for a personal email account but they may send the wrong message to your future employer. Choose an appropriate user name and email name for your professional identity.