LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook are top social media sites used by job seekers. But, there are other social media websites you can also use for job hunting, including Google+, YouTube and Pinterest. YouTube can be used to promote yourself to employers via videos. Google+ works a lot like Facebook, and Pinterest, similar to an online corkboard, lets you easily integrate photos and other images into your job search tool kit.
Short for weblog, blogs are used by individuals, professionals, businesses and corporations. Usually a more professional blog will have a specific focus, such as landscaping, architecture, engineering or fashion. Blogs offer authors a forum to share their knowledge, thoughts or ideas. Posts are short pieces, generally, although some can go long when the topic demands it. Posts feature photos, videos and text, and a place where visitors can interact by sending an email or a video.
A series of posts about the same subject is called a "thread." You can join a conversation by commenting on a post or simply read what people are saying. Keep comments professional and related to the subject. Diverting from the subject or leaving inappropriate comments is considered poor "netiquette."
Create and use your own blog to reflect your expertise in your career field and to reinforce your personal brand. Speak about industry trends or highlight white papers, articles and other content you have produced regarding your profession, and remember to link them to your Facebook and Twitter accounts. Popular free websites for bloggers are WordPress, TypePad and Blogger. As with all social media, users should be careful about what they say, how they say it, and how much information they disclose. Some people have lost their jobs or been passed over by a potential employer because of comments they've made in blog posts.
In terms of your job search, reading blogs is an effective way to get an "insider look" at various occupations, industries or fields. Reading a specific company's blog is a great way to expand your research. When interviewing, it is important to show that you are up-to-date on the happenings in your field of interest. Since many blogs are written by experts - self-proclaimed or otherwise - keep an eye out for good ones that will give you great insights into trends in your profession.
