As those on the market for equity analyst jobs right now will know all too well, competition has never been more ferocious. While the web may have made it easier than ever before for those wishing to do so to find and apply for top roles all over the world, it has also levelled the playing field like never before. Or in other words, it not only gives you an advantage, but also gives the same advantages to a million and one other people.
Now more than ever before, it’s becoming important to take things one or two steps further in order to be noticed and remembered for all the right reasons. Online recruitment agencies and a strong background can of course help matters, but there’s so much more to it when it comes to genuinely standing out from the crowd. Suffice to say, it all comes down to the overall brand you create for yourself and what this says to your would-be employers.
Unsurprisingly, social media is a great place to start as the reach, power and influence of the biggest social networks needs no real explanation. Regardless of your personal feeling on the subject, employers are now viewing, analysing and considering social media profiles as important and integral elements in the recruitment process – meaning that what you present online could make or break your chances.
So with this in mind, here’s a quick look at five crucial social media tips for jobseekers looking to get picked up:
Complete Your LinkedIn Profile
It’s no longer possible to ignore the gospel according to LinkedIn if you want to get ahead – those days are over. As of now, not only do you need to have a strong LinkedIn profile, but you also need to have a profile that’s 100% complete and polished in every way. Sure, there may be more to you than a simple social media profile can ever fully divulge, but in the eyes of employers an incomplete or shabby profile represents the sign of someone who doesn’t really have the time or effort to create a good image for themselves.
Optimise Your LinkedIn Profile
Also on the subject of LinkedIn, never forget that when it comes to head-hunting there’s only one way they’re ever likely to come across you – by way of search. Just as is the case with all websites and businesses trying to get noticed by Google’s search engine, it’s therefore of crucial importance to make sure that your LinkedIn profile is optimised in accordance with who you are and what you do. This means choosing the very best and most strategic keywords without crossing the line into spamming your profile with far too many. Rich content, relevant content and professionalism will always win the day and help you get noticed – as too will 100% complete profiles.
Use All Social Media as Career Boosters
If your main priority in life…at least for the time being…is to land that job you’ve been hankering after, consider overhauling every single one of your social media profiles accordingly. The reason being that it’s really no good to have yourself pitched as the ultimate professional on LinkedIn and something of a hedonistic party animal on Facebook – these kinds of inconsistencies never go down well with employers. There may be an instance in the future where you can tone things down a little, but for now you might want to think about using Facebook, Twitter and all other social media sites as extensions of LinkedIn for career purposes only.
Blog, Report and Comment on Industry Matters
In terms of content, be sure to regularly update your pages and profiles with relevant and interesting company/industry news that your employers would most likely respond well to. This can be hugely powerful and impactful when it comes to showing them not only that you’re already dedicated to the cause, but that you know what you’re talking about. Get involved in discussion groups and forums in order to build your authority and prove that you’re the expert they need.
Network Like Crazy
Last but not least, there’s really no such thing as having too many friends in high places or even friends with access to privileged information. There’s nothing to gain from creating a contacts list populated by thousands of people with no real relevance to what you do and who you are, but in terms of those that may be able to help you in the future or at least further your reputation, you can never have too many contacts.
