It started out as a fun way for college students to keep track of their friends. But now social media has evolved into a powerful marketing platform that job hunters can use to their advantage.
Regardless of how well crafted a printed resume may be, it cannot convey your personality or professional demeanor the way a video resume can as long as the video is of professional quality with good sound quality and lighting.
When doing a video, to post on a social media site, you need to pay as much attention to presentation as when going to an in-person interview. Take care to dress appropriately and avoid loud designs or busy patterns that can distract the viewer what can work in person can be exaggerated on camera so stick to solid colors. Maintain eye contact and speak in a natural voice.
The content of a video resume is the same as its written counterpart to tell the prospective employer your career objectives, educational background, and work experience. You should also list any special skills, such as speaking another language. Video gives you the unique opportunity to say a sentence or two to show off your fluency and add a little personality to the presentation. In addition to your professional qualifications, address what personal attributes you would bring to the job. Once the video is ready, you can post it on various social media sites.
It should be noted that posting a video resume is not for everyone. If you are someone who freezes in front of a camera or is beset by nerves that make your voice quiver, the video will probably do more harm than good. But there are other ways to have social media work for you.
Facebook′s BranchOut app was designed to turn the popular social media site into your own personal career center. It enables users to search through contacts by company to see which social connections could help them find a job. There is also a friends-of-friends feature that facilitates finding connections at specific companies. The app can be used by prospective employers to post a listing and by job hunters to locate job openings.
Whereas Facebook′s apps are somewhat more viral in nature, LinkedIn was specifically established as a social network for business professionals. After creating a detailed profile, it′s possible to post your work experience and network with potential employers. You can target specific industries by joining groups associated with your specialty and by including keywords that increase the chances an employer looking for your skill set can find you. And obviously, the more connections you have on your LinkedIn network will increase the odds of an employer finding you.