Shhhh…want to know the secret to finding the best jobs in Middle Tennessee?
Here it is: The best time to find a job is while you HAVE a job.
But finding a great job in the Nashville area while you’re employed can be a tricky proposition – if you don’t know what you’re doing. Sure, social media can help you instantly connect with hiring decision-makers and learn about job openings in real time. Using these platforms, however, can also put you at risk for losing your current job – by making it obvious that you’re on the hunt.
The best advice? Use social media, but do so wisely! Here are a few do’s and don’ts from Wood Personnel to help you attract the attention of potential employers, without jeopardizing your job:
Don’t: Conduct your social job search on company computers or company time. As you probably realize, many employers monitor web surfing. So stay off social media sites during work hours, unless it’s an explicit part of your job. Smart recruiters who are truly interested in you will respect the fact that you’re currently working and will understand that you can’t get back in touch until after work hours.
Do: Carefully raise your personal visibility. Set-up or spruce-up your networking profiles on LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook. Make sure you follow the recommended steps to make each profile complete, by including a professional photo, key skills, significant accomplishments, experience and education. The more information you provide, the more frequently you will show up in recruiters’ search results.
Don’t: Broadcast your job desires. Though it may sound obvious, it bears mentioning: be careful to avoid adding phrases like “seeking a new position in” or “looking for a new job in” to your profiles. And resist the temptation to select the “career opportunities” and “job inquiries” options in your LinkedIn settings.
Do: Adjust your privacy settings. Be proactive. Protect your identity (and your existing job) by limiting access to your essential contact information (i.e., name, address, phone). Set-up an anonymous personal email account for recruiters to use to contact you. Why? Savvy employers set-up Google Alerts to keep tabs on employees’ online activity and actively search for their résumés using search engines and job boards.
Do: Adopt a “pull” strategy. Instead of blasting your résumé out, draw recruiters to you. Log into your social media profiles frequently (when you’re not working, that is), join groups related to your job specialty and participate in discussions. Post timely, relevant content to show potential employers that you keep up-to-date with the latest industry news and understand the important issues of the day. Do so, and you’ll pull recruiters to you like iron filings to a magnet.
Do: Connect with Wood Personnel on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn. Broaden your network, learn great job search tips and find out about the best administrative, accounting, engineering, HR, IT and light industrial jobs in Nashville, Murfreesboro, Cool Springs, Hendersonville and beyond!
