How do you reach out to recruiters via social media?
Some time ago, reaching out for jobs on social would be considered potentially awkward. But those days are long gone. Recruiters often reach out to prospective employees online, especially through avenues with easy access messengers, such as Facebook or LinkedIn. But how do candidates manage to reach out to recruiters? It’s pretty easy, simply because recruiters want people to connect with them.
Here are the best ways to go about approaching a recruiter online!
Keep an up-to-date profile (especially on LinkedIn)
You want to ensure that when a recruiter checks you out further, what they’ll see is as good as your most up-to-date resume. Let’s face it, LinkedIn is even easier to change than a CV, so it doesn’t take much time to make sure it looks good and reads well before you start sending out InMail. Make sure it expresses your past jobs and responsibilities like a resume should – by listing achievements and added value, not just tasks that were required from you.
Manage your online presence
Double check all your social media – Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram and so on. Make sure you’re presenting a positive image of yourself. Everyone has personal lives and a recruiter doesn’t expect to see only professional photos on your profiles. But it’s best to keep everything ‘safe’. If you have some photo’s you don’t want to hide or delete, ensure your profile has the highest possible privacy settings. In fact, it’s best to have strong privacy on your profile anyway.
Keep it professional
On social media, it’s easy to fall into the trap of casual conversation with the insertion of slang and acronyms such as ‘lol’ or ‘thx’. Steer clear of shortened words. Always write professionally, addressing the person and signing off suitably. Think of it as a short, easy email – but not blunt.
Don’t write an essay
Don’t go too into your life story and job history in one message. If you have seen a post for a job or are curious about jobs at a certain company, message the recruiter about your interest and ask for further information. Briefly mention what you are currently doing so they have a slight idea of you and encourage them to check out your profile. Much like any other person, when a recruiter is met with a huge message (amongst many others) they might skim over it and not pay you the proper attention.
Proofread
Make sure you don’t have any typo’s! Again, much like a resume, it’s never too impressive to have sentences that don’t make sense and words that aren’t spelled correctly.
Interact and comment in response to LinkedIn posts from the recruiter
Don’t be afraid to comment on a recruiter’s post or to message them in reference to a job they just posted. They want to hear from people and gather information in the easiest way – social media is that way because it’s quick and efficient. If you comment, maybe other recruiters will notice and know what you are interested in. If they like what they see on your profile, they may even keep you in mind for future positions. Take initiative and don’t be scared by the public nature of social media.
