How to get hired through social media

Note: This post assumes you already have a resume ready. Make sure to have one BEFORE you do anything.

My life changed when hurricane Maria destroyed Puerto Rico, and as a result, everything I had worked so hard to build. We decided to relocate to the US and I needed to get a job (I lost the two businesses I had).

I decided to leverage social media to help me find a good job. My first step was to identify people who could help me find a job.

How to find people who can help you find a job

There are a lot of good people on social media. More than you'd think. People who are not only able but willing to find you a job. All you have to do is find them, which is not hard.

First thing that you want to look for is their network size. A person with 30K followers/friends will have more reach than one with 500.

Second, and most important, is to look at their post history. Do they interact a lot with others? Do they reply to their own posts? You want to find people who routinely talk with their network. Avoid wasting your time on people who just post links (that account might be automated).

Third thing is to approach them in a friendly manner. Don't simply send a cold message. No. What you want to do is join in whatever conversation they are having in social media. But don't be a shill. Be yourself. This may take a bit of time (hours, days, weeks). It does allow the person to notice and appreciate your comments.

Fourth thing is to send them a message (public or not) asking if they know of any job leads. You can alternatively work that into whatever discussion they are having. Tech people are always talking about jobs, so it's not hard to do that (while not being a spammer and adding real value to the conversation). The person will either reply positively, negatively, or ignore you. If they reply positively then move on to the next step. If they react negatively apologize in a friendly manner. If they ignore you try again until they react.

OK, so now you have someone who is willing to help you find a job, what happens next? You need to share your info and resume.

How to write a post that will help you find a job

This sounds simple, but you will never believe how many people actually message me asking for help with this. The main issue they have is writing something that does not make it sound like they are clueless.

You can scroll down a bit a get a couple of ready-to-use templates if you don't want to read the explanation.

Write a clear headline or first sentence. This is what most people will read, so make sure that your purpose is stated quickly.

Example:

Good

I'm currently looking for a job.
I'm available for hire.
Python developer for hire.
I need a job writing python.

Bad

Software is my passion.
I can't pay my bills.
My car broke down and I don't have a job.

Add a short list of your top skills on the second sentence.

Example:

Good

I know Python, Django, Javascript.
Past experience with React, PHP, COBOL.

Bad

I built an app with React an it was really fun.
I mostly do Java.

Include a link to your resume or website.

If it's a website, make sure that people can find a link to the resume there. The less steps people need to take to view your resume the better.

Now, here is the whole thing. Note that it fits into a tweet.

Python developer for hire. Past experience with Django, Flask, and React.
Link to my resume: https://example.com

Ready to use templates

$language developer for hire.
Past experience with $technology, $technology, and $technology.
Link to my resume: $link_url

I'm available for hire. 
I know $technology, $technology, and $technology.
Link to resume: $link_url

I'm currently looking for a job.
Know $technology, $technology, and $technology.
Link to resume: $link_url

What to do once your info is shared

At this point, people are sharing your post with their networks. This is where the real work begins. You do not sit back and wait for people to contact you. No. Your focus now is to identify people who are in a position to hire you. How do you do that? Simple. They will reply to your post and ask to get in contact with them. Always reply on the post thread and let them know you sent them a message.

Some people assume that jobs will magically arrive to their inbox. Nope. You have to contact and follow up on the people who replied to your post. Make a list with their contact information and make sure to message them privately. Be friendly and don't expect them to hire you. They are simply potential leads. You are free to ask about the job but always let them reply first. The first message must be short. Wait until they reply to ask questions.

Yes, this is a fair amount of work. Nobody said it would be easy. The upside is that the jobs tend to be better than using a job board. Why? Because you can get job leads for jobs that are not even available yet. You can also connect with great recruiters this way. People will also share very helpful links to local groups that may also have job boards. Groups you would not normally hear about.

Until next time!

🙂