Social Media is an increasingly important tool in helping us land jobs in the current market. I think we can all agree on that by now. If understanding social media and its importance is one of your biggest personal setbacks, or you think it might be, there are now numerous ways to get caught up with the competition. One can scour the vast annals of the internet for pertinent websites (much like the one you find yourself on right now), solicit the help of a social media specialist, or even take helpful courses offered by online colleges.
Becoming competent with LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, and the blogosphere though, is less than half the battle though. Next there’s content. What’s appropriate? What do employers want to see? These are the biggest questions facing both the less experienced users, as well as the thousands of emerging college graduates who’ve known the joys of Facebook, and have been using it, since just about birth. And they’re good questions to ask. But they’re not the most important questions, which is paramount to remember as we become more personally tangled in the growing torrent of social media content. The rule of thumb generally is, if you think it might be offensive to some, or would make your mother frown… take it down.
It’s important not to get too obsessed with the what-ifs of social media. What if an employer doesn’t like that I’m a staunch Republican who rides a red Harley? The truth? Who cares? While it’s certainly advantageous to do your homework about potential employers and know as much about them and their companies as possible, changing or altering your persona to land a job helps no one, least of all yourself. These are the people you’ll be grinding it out with for forty plus hours a week… they’re going to figure you out. Which brings me to my final and greatest reminder: you’ll be interviewing with a real human eventually. That’s right you could potentially wind up sitting in the best office chair in front of your potential new boss.
So far, Facebook can’t shake any hands or kiss any babies for you. You’re on your own there pal. But the interview is nothing to be scared of – I’m sure you’ve done it before… spoken with another human face to face that is. It can be nerve-racking stuff, but if you stick to the basics, you’ll do just fine: firm handshake, solid eye contact, be polite, be courteous, and most importantly, be confident. Employers have a much easier time believing in someone who firmly believes in her or his self. And bear in mind too that whoever is interviewing you, was at some point sitting in your exact position, also shaking in their proverbial boots.
Author Bio: This Guest Post is written by Samantha Peters, who enjoys writing for tech and career blogs covering topics such as social media within the workplace. Sam believes in the importance of staying confident and believing in yourself during an interview.
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