Employers use social media as a means of recruiting the best available talent and, if you are a graduate, it is vital to have the right kind of online presence. Social media can also be an excellent tool in helping you decide which company is the right one for you. Employers’ social media platforms, like Twitter and Facebook, can provide you with accurate, current information about their outlook and reputation, enabling you to make the best choice for your career.

Here are some top tips for using social media to find a job:

1. Create a profile on LinkedIn and Twitter

Twitter is immensely popular in the UK and most companies have a profile which you can follow, whilst there are nearly three million company pages on LinkedIn, giving you access to a vast array of local and global companies. Use the company pages to inform yourself of their latest products, and let your connections know about your relevant skills and references.

2. Clean up your online presence

Use privacy settings on Facebook to limit your posts to your friends only, and don’t post inappropriate tweets and messages. Always ask yourself, whenever posting text and images online: what would my employer think about that?

3. Sign up to groups

Find potential employers and recruiters that you might want to work with.There will be numerous LinkedIn and Twitter groups that are relevant to your professional interests and signing up will allow you to promote your expert knowledge and skills.

4. Start blogging

Start writing your own blog and use it as a means of showcasing your work and abilities, and to gain exposure. Follow bloggers with similar interests to gain inspiration.

5. Use Google+

A Google+ account will enable you to track your digital footprint, allowing a prospective employer to locate your online activity in one place. The ‘Circles’ feature allows you to select who reads a particular post, allowing your personal posts to be separate from your professional ones.

6. Connect with fellow social media users and followers

Whichever platform you are using, remember to update it regularly and interact with others. Make yourself approachable and easy for people to contact you.

7. Identify opportunities

Use Workcircle to identify job opportunities from individual companies in your field, and follow and interact with them via social media platforms.

About the author:

Simon Appleton is CEO at Workcircle where you’ll find developer jobs for most IT languages.