Job Searching with Social Media For Dummies
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You should spend some time and energy developing your value statement for your job search. How does this help you on social media sites? Your value statement translates to your social media presence in three ways:

  • Headlines

  • Profile summaries

  • Profile pictures

If you’ve done your keyword research and written your value statement, all you have to do is copy and paste that statement into your online profiles. Here you will see exactly how to transfer your value statement to the essential components of your social media presence.

Condense your statement into a headline

The headline you use in LinkedIn, any online résumé, or the bio area in Twitter is connected with your name on almost every communication you send. When your profile appears on search results, the headline is the first thing the searcher reads. She will either click on you or not based on what your headline says. Therefore you need to be sure to get it right.

Think of your headline as a very boiled-down and condensed version of your value statement. It shouldn’t be longer than 120 characters in LinkedIn or 160 characters in Twitter, including spaces. Make sure to use at least one of your keywords, two at best. And if you currently work for a company, mention the company and role by name. Otherwise, it looks like you’re unemployed.

One way to separate ideas in your headline is to use vertical bars. Here are a couple of examples:

Web developer | Web designer | President of a local design interest group

Author | Trainer | E-learning visionary | Expert in improving corporate training programs

Branding is not only about what you like but also about what your audience likes. That audience may include potential employers, recruiters or peers. Knowing whether your brand is successful depends on how your audience responds. So test out a headline for a week and see what kind of response you get. Then the next week, test out another one. Keep changing it until you get the results you want.

Whatever you do with your headline, don’t beg for a job. Although the marketplace is filled with desperate job seekers, you don’t want to be one of them (even though you may feel desperate). Differentiate yourself by showing your confidence. Make employers want you. Instead of saying, “I’m looking for…,” lead with how you can add value to their organization.

Also, be sure to include as much personality as possible. Would you rather be an experienced marketing professional or a marketing visionary who thrives on growing powerful brands through innovative teamwork?

Deal with your profile picture

The image you use on your social media profiles acts like an application icon on your computer. Just as you know that big blue W is for Microsoft Word, when people see the colors and shape of your image, they know it’s you.

Your social media photo serves as a visual reminder to your audience and shouldn’t change very often. So take a good profile picture now and then forget about it for the next few years.

A good headshot has interesting negative space around the head. Professional photographers ask you to tilt your head slightly or stand sideways and then look at the camera over a shoulder. Try several head tilting positions yourself to alter the negative space about your head. Oh, and remember to smile!

About This Article

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About the book author:

Joshua Waldman, MBA, is an authority on leveraging social media to find employment. His writing has appeared in Forbes, Huffington Post, Mashable, and the International Business Times. Joshua's career blog, CareerEnlightenment.com, won the About.com Readers' Choice Award for Best Career Blog 2013. Joshua presents keynotes, trainings, and breakout sessions around the world for students, career advisors, and professional organizations.

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