Will Your Social Networking Profile Help You Get A Job?

You've probably heard a number of horror stories by now about how profiles on social networking sites can end up being one of the main reasons a job seeker was not hired. Whether it's because of inappropriate photos or information inconsistent with the candidate's resume, social media profiles can be dangerous for your job search.

They can also be a huge boon, if handled correctly.

An appropriate social networking profile will portray you as a professional who is ready to take on all challenges. This will make you attractive not only to potential employers, but also networking contacts who can help you land a great nonprofit job. Not sure where to start? Following these five tips will get you on your way to a great online presence:

• Be Consistent: Your persona needs to be consistent across all of the platforms you use. For example, if you are portrayed as a driven fundraiser on LinkedIn, you shouldn't act like an introvert on Google Plus.
• Master the Basics: The first part of your profile that an employer is likely to check is your "About Me" section. This is the most basic part of any social networking site but the first impression is very important. Write a brief paragraph that sums up your work history and goals.
• Build Your Network: Sites like LinkedIn provide a great opportunity to make new contacts. They don't call it "social networking" for nothing. The size of your network will depend on your preferences, but it's a good idea to have at least 50 followers on your page.
• Links: Showcase your skills by including links to your blog and portfolio assuming they are relevant to your career path. 
• Use Keywords: Making use of strategic keywords throughout your profile will help ensure that your profile comes up in search engine results. Examples of keywords include your area of expertise, desired job titles, and industries.

Social Networking Etiquette And You

Most people think of Facebook and other social media sites as a great place to catch up with friends and watch that latest hilarious cat video. But did you know they can also be helpful for your job search?

Networking is the key to improving your chances of landing a job, and there's no better place to do it then using social media. Using sites like Facebook and LinkedIn, you can quickly find contacts who can give you the inside track to your dream job. Sounds easy, right? Not exactly.

Before you go to your online contacts for help, make sure to follow these six social networking etiquette tips:

• Don't post just to post.
• Stay professional while you are networking. That means you should avoid abbreviations and inappropriate content.
• Keep an eye on your post count. You don't want come across as a spammer.
• Post different things across the many social media channels. Give people a reason to visit your individual pages.
• Keep your content fresh. No more than a month should go by without new updates.
• Follow-up with everyone who responds to your posts. This will show people that you care about what they have to say, and will go a long way toward building new connections.

Social Networking For A Nonprofit Job

Originally Posted on the NPT Jobs Career Center


Networking is key when it comes to getting a nonprofit job. You can apply for work all you want, but you’ll have a greater chance of success if you can make connections with people in the organization. Thanks to sites such as Facebook and LinkedIn, making these connections is easier than ever.

Social networking sites are extremely useful for keeping up with the latest trends in the industry and finding connections at jobs you are interested in joining. If you leverage your profiles correctly, the benefits can be huge. The key is to show the world the best version of your professional life. That means you should get rid of content that is not appropriate or interesting to potential recruiters. For example, it’s probably a good idea to take down any embarrassing photos from your friend’s bachelor party.

Once you’ve cleaned out your profile, you can start getting down to networking. Here are five tips that will get you on the right track:

• Don’t post for the sake of posting. Make sure all the content you create is fresh, interesting, and relevant to the type of job you are hoping to land. In this case, it will be helpful to write a lot of nonprofit-centric posts.
• Be interactive. If you are browsing a LinkedIn group, answer other people’s questions so that other professionals will see your profile. You will never harness the full potential of social media if you are just expecting people to come to you.
• Avoid spamming. You want people to notice you, but posting too frequently can backfire. At the same time, you don’t want months to past before you make a new post, so you’re going to have to strike a balance here.
• Make your content unique across all platforms. It’s OK if you occasionally post the same content to Facebook and Twitter, but don’t make a habit of it. You want to give people a reason to follow you on the various social network platforms, and they won’t want to if you carbon copy your content.
• Follow-up. Respond to every message, connection request, or question in a timely manner. This will let your followers know that you truly care about them.

Your Online Presence And The Job Search

It's hard to find anyone without an online presence these days. Whether it's Facebook or LinkedIn, most people have made their digital footprint. These sites are invaluable for many different aspects of our lives, one of them being the job search.

It is not uncommon for hiring managers to Google prospective employees when they receive job applications. The rise of social media has created the expectation that employers should be able to search for an applicant's name and find out everything they need to know. If your name doesn't show up in a simple online search, it will raise questions in their minds. They'll start to wonder why they can't find any information about you on the Internet, and if you are potentially hiding something. These little doubts could be the difference if there are other candidates who have just a slight edge over you.

Disconnecting digitally also cuts off opportunities to connect directly with employers. It's almost impossible to find an organization that is not using social networks, and their pages can hold key information to help advance your cause. Being active in discussions on the organization's Facebook or Twitter page can earn you extra consideration if the hiring manager remembers your name while going over your application. Nonprofits are always eager to hire someone who is passionate about their mission.

It's certainly your prerogative if you don't want to be found online. There are legitimate reasons to want to be invisible online, with privacy being a major factor. When it comes to getting a job, however, having no online presence puts you at a major disadvantage.

Expanding Your Career Network Without Social Networks

It goes without saying that social networks are extremely popular these days. These sites are useful for catching up with old friends and -- most importantly for your job search -- making connections for your career. Yet as useful as sites like LinkedIn are, face-to-face networking still remains an effective tool.

One of the advantages of traditional career networking is the personal connection. You can learn a lot more about a person by seeing their mannerisms and hearing their voice than by communicating via e-mail. If you are one of those individuals that prefers the "old school" method of networking, here are four tips to help expand your connections:

• Talk to your seat-mates on the train. You never know if that person sitting next to you could hold the key for your career. Making conversation with complete strangers isn't exactly easy, but it can be very valuable if you can do it.
• Start volunteering. This is one of the best ways to build connections in the nonprofit sector. Becoming a volunteer almost guarantees you will meet someone who can be of help to you. It also doesn't look half-bad on your resume.
• Sign up for an alumni newsletter. There's a very good chance you will learn about upcoming networking events, which will help you re-establish ties with old classmates or professors.
• Join clubs. These don't have to necessarily be related to your job search. You are just as likely to find potential networking contacts at a chess club than job search related activities.

All of this is not to say you should completely abandon online networking. On the contrary, you should continue to use it to enhance your job search. Just don't make the mistake of thinking that a social networking site is the ultimate answer for all your problems.

Start Spreading The News -- About Your Job Search

The opening line of Frank Sinatra's famous "New York, New York" contain valuable advice for all first time job seekers: "Start spreading the news."

One of the most common mistakes people make in the job search is not letting people know you are looking for work. This is an especially egregious error in today's society. With sites like Facebook and Twitter playing big roles in peoples' lives, it's imperative you let all of your followers know that you would appreciate any leads they have.

There are some job seekers who have the mistaken belief that asking for help from your contacts comes off as desperate. This is only true if you make it sound desperate. Here's an example of how not to let people know you need help:

"Ugh, this job search is terrible! It's so frustrating. Somebody help me find some work?!"

 This is a bad post for a number of reasons. First, it just sounds whiny. We all know the job search can be immensely frustrating but people generally won't want to help someone who sounds like they are just complaining. Another issues is that it sounds more like a demand than a polite request. If you write something like this as a Facebook status, chances are you won't even get a single "like," let alone a response.

Here's what you should write:

"Just wanted to let everyone know that I am currently looking for work. If anybody happens to have any leads in the nonprofit sector, could you please contact me? I appreciate any help I can get!"

Notice how this example politely states what you need without sounding desperate? It's also very specific, so you will be almost guaranteed to get responses that are relevant to the specific field in which you are looking.

The job search is a tough assignment for anybody, so don't make the mistake of going it alone. There's no shame in asking for help as long as you are polite about it.

You Can Never Have Too Many Social Networks

There used to be a time when Facebook was the major social network on the Internet. While it's still extremely popular (and profitable), there are many other options now. Whether it's Twitter or Google+, people have many choices at their disposal.

If you were ever wondering which site you should use to enhance your job search, I have just the answer for you: All of them.

If this seems like a lot of work it's because it is. Having a presence on all of the major social media sites is extremely important simply because you will get so much more exposure than if you were just using one. The more information you provide on each of these sites, the easier it will be for employers to match your skills and talents with those that are being sought by the organization.

Here are some other social media tips:

• Be consistent. Don't feel like you have to use different tones on each site. On the contrary, it's much more useful to present one personality so employers won't have any questions about your sincerity.
• Be wary of recommendations. Sites like LinkedIn allow you to recommend other members in your network for jobs. This is a very useful feature, but make sure the person the recommendation is being done in good faith. In other words, don't engage in any quid pro quo dealings.
• Decide what you want to share. Most social network sites have settings that allow you to control what you want to share with the public. Familiarize yourself with these settings so you are only sharing information you want prospective employers to see.

Can Pinterest Help Your Job Search?

It seems like there is a new social media craze every year. Near the end of 2011, the newest fad was Pinterest, an online pin board where users can post pictures that relate to their interests. The site has continued to gain steam and many businesses and nonprofits are starting to use it.

While it doesn't seem like the kind of site that could help your job search, it can actually be just as useful as sites like Facebook and Twitter.

Since pictures are the main focus of Pinterest, you can use it to get a good sense of the culture at the nonprofits for which you want to work. What's their dress code? Where are they focusing their marketing efforts? These are all questions you can answer by browsing an organization's Pinterest board. Use this information to craft a tailored resume that shows you did a lot of research before applying.

Your job search efforts on Pinterest don't just have to be focused on employers; you can make pin boards to advance your brand. Sean Weinberg from Mashable posted an article in February with this great idea: Post your resume as a picture. All you have to do is create a board (call it "About Me" or "My Credentials") and post a picture of your resume. You can also link that picture to your online portfolio if you wish. You should also include photos of the various activities you do to help solidify your brand. As with any social networking site, you need to make sure many people see your board -- so make sure to share it in as many places as you can.

These are just a couple of ways you can use Pinterest to enhance your job hunt. Have any other ideas? Feel free to share them with us.

Tweet Your Way To A Nonprofit Job

Do you hear all that tweeting?  It's not the birds, it's the sound of millions of people using the popular social networking site Twitter.  The site was launched in 2006 and it has been an Internet sensation ever since.  It's most useful for connecting with celebrities and to drive traffic to website, but it's also useful for the job search.

How exactly can you tweet your way to a nonprofit job?  It takes a lot of work but it can be done.  After you have created your account, chosen an appropriate profile picture, and written a description of yourself, it's time to start following people.  There's aren't that many nonprofits that aren't on Twitter, so it should be very easy to find their Twitter handle.  You can look on their official website for a link to their profile if you are having trouble.  Organizations will often send out a tweet if they have open jobs, so it's good to keep an eye on their tweets.

That's not the only reason you will want to follow nonprofits on Twitter.  It's also so you can start grabbing their attention with your tweets.  In order to get your messages sent to the appropriate targets, you will have to make use of hashtags.  These are represented by the "#" symbol, and are placed before a word that describes the subject of the tweet.  Twitter users will often search for tweets by a specific subject, and making use of multiple hashtags will increase your chances of being seen.  For example, using the hashtag #nonprofitjobs would be appropriate to get noticed by recruiters.

You must always remember that Twitter is a social platform.  You want to build yourself up but you also want to participate in conversations.  It's not easy to say everything you want to say in 140 characters or less but with time, you will get better at it.  Here are some other helpful tips to help you tweet your way to a nonprofit job:

• Try to send out 2-5 tweets (or more) per day.
• Follow the hiring managers at nonprofits.  They will be the ones going through the job applications and, if you are impressive enough, you could be given extra consideration if they recognize your name from Twitter.
• Introduce yourself to people who follow you through a direct message.
• Get to know Twitter lingo.
• Send out links to your LinkedIn or professional Facebook profile (make sure to use link shortening tools like bit.ly).

Using Social Media To Get A New Job

Social media is the flavor of the month right now.  Everybody seems to have a Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, or whatever new site pops up.  But can you really "like" or "tweet" your way to a new nonprofit job?

It's important to keep in mind that social networking should only be used as a compliment to traditional networking but, having said that, it can definitely help you with your job search.  One of the best things about social media is that it makes researching an organization much easier.  Reading the company website is useful, but only social media will give you the best idea of the company culture.  Look at pictures of recent company outings and see how representatives interact with their followers to get a better idea of how you would fit in at the organization.

I mentioned above how social networking should be used in conjunction with traditional networking.  There is no better example of this than using social media to get in touch with former colleagues or old friends.  By making a simple status update on Facebook or sending a tweet on Twitter, all of your contacts will know that you are looking a job.  Who knows, one of your friends may know someone at an organization you are looking to join.

Once you get a job interview, you can utilize social media sources to learn more about your interviewer.  Knowing this person's background will help you customize your talking points and come prepared with better interview questions.  It can also make for some good small talk, which can never be underestimated.  For example, you could discover that your interviewer graduated from the same school as you.  Even if you don't get the job, the interviewer may be motivated to help a fellow alumni.

How do you use social media in your job search?  Tell us your experiences in the comments section.

The Key to Successful Career Networking

Career networking is many things, but there is one thing it is not: Working your contacts only when you need a job.  There is a belief amongst some job seekers that this is the only time you should be in touch with your network.  Why shouldn't this be the case?  After all, why should you be bothering reaching out to job contacts when you already have work? 

I've got some news for you: People are not going to be interested in helping you if it seems you only reach out them when you need something.  Even though you are unemployed, it doesn't mean there aren't things you can do to help them out.  Maybe they have recently become unemployed and you can give them some contacts of your own.  Helping out your people in your career network is the best way to ensure they will remember and help you.

Here are some other tips to strengthen your network:

• Forward relevant websites or articles to your contacts.  This will show that you are thinking of them, and spark a potentially insightful conversation.
• If you know someone in your network is looking for work, send them potential job openings.  This is even more effective if you know someone who works at the company that is hiring.
• If it's convenient to you both, try and meet for coffee or lunch.  Online interaction can only get you so far.

Yet the most important tip of all is making new contacts.  You should be making new ones every week if you are to get the most out of networking.  You never know whether that next person you get in touch with could lead you to a dream nonprofit job.  Your initial communications with new contacts should be worded very carefully.  You should mention that you are interested in working in nonprofits, and would like to get their input on your resume or cover letter.  Mention that you would like to set up a phone conversation at their earliest convenience to talk about what kind of opportunities might be available in the industry. 

Remember, you don't just have to contact people at organizations to which you have applied.  The point of networking is not just to get an extra boost to your chances at a particular job, it is also to make you aware of opportunities you might not have discovered otherwise.  There is no reason that you won't be successful in your efforts if you are respectful and gracious in your messages.  So take a chance this weekend and start strengthening your career networking!

Networking Decisions: Linkedin Vs. Facebook

When it comes to career networking, job seekers have a lot of options at their disposal. They can go the traditional route and attend networking events, or they can use social networking sites. While there is no right or wrong choice, it's clear that networking via the Internet is a lot simpler. You don't have to do any traveling and it's a lot less stressful than face-to-face encounters. That doesn't mean it comes without its challenges. And one of those comes from choosing which site to use. The two most popular sites out there remain Facebook and LinkedIn. Both have their pros and cons, and I will discuss those below:

-In terms of overall popularity, I would estimate that there are more users on Facebook. That makes it more likely you will be able to connect with former colleagues.

-At the same time, LinkedIn is a lot better for making new career contacts than Facebook. Your work history is easily visible, and the interface will tell you who some of your other connections know. This is helpful when trying to make contacts at a job you have just applied to.

-There is also more to distract you on Facebook than LinkedIn. There are tons of games and other unrelated content, so it is easier to stray off course.

-Facebook is a little easier to use. I always found the LinkedIn interface to be a bit clunky. On Facebook, everything you need to know is laid out in front of you. This makes it much easier to figure out exactly how to contact people, etc.

Overall, I still prefer LinkedIn to Facebook when it comes to career networking. Although it's a little more complicated to use, I think it's better suited for networking than Facebook. What do you think?

Career Advancement With Twitter

Like it or not, we live in a day and age where technology has become a huge part of our lives. There is almost nothing that we do these days that does not involve some sort of technology. This is becoming especially true when it comes to career advancement.  I already mentioned how social media can be used by recruiters, but it can also be used to help job seekers as well. Sites like Facebook and Twitter are becoming popular destinations to quickly find out about the latest open positions at nonprofits. So how can you best utilize social media in your career planning?

There are many social media sites at your disposal, though it might be a bit overwhelming to use all of them.  If you had to choose one for your job search, however, it should be Twitter.  There are already a number of nonprofit organizations that utilize Twitter to broadcast their latest jobs, so it provides a great opportunity to quickly get a heads up on the latest nonprofit jobs.  Once you have set up your Twitter account, the next thing you need to know about are hashtags. Hashtags are best known as this symbol (#), and in Twitter, they are used to tag your 'Tweets.' The minute your Twitter profile is set up, you should do a search for #nonprofitjobs. This is the hashtag that The Nonprofit Jobseeker uses when we post the latest nonprofit jobs on our Twitter account, and it is also used by other nonprofit job boards. You should follow all of these Twitters; now, anytime they tweet about a new non profit job, it will automatically be posted to your Twitter feed.

Of course, there is more to helping your career advancement using social media than following people on Twitter. In order to get the most out of this useful tool, you need to use it to its full potential. This means you need to interact with other Twitterers who have similar interests to you: in this case. So after you are following all the job boards/nonprofits you want, you should begin to search for people who are also looking for nonprofit jobs, or even those who have them already. Twitter is very helpful in this respect, because they have a list of people you should follow, based on the people you are already following. You should make conversation with these people, asking them how they found their jobs, and if they could give you any career advice. Who knows, maybe you will find your next job by talking to one of thse individuals. You can almost look at like networking, without all the traveling!

With millions of people using Twitter today, you will find that it is an invaluable tool to advance your nonprofit career. Maybe you have had reservations about joining Twitter in the past, but today is the day to put those misgivings away and take your career advancement to the next level.

Hiring Tips: Social Media Recruitment

In today's day of technology, it's becoming more and more attractive to use more advanced job recruitment techniques in addition to the more traditional routes. In this case, one method that is becoming more popular is social media recruitment. By using social networking sites like Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn, you can more effectively recruit some of the top job candidates in the non profit sector.

Of course, you don't even necessarily have to use Twitter (or Facebook) yourself in order to get your non profit jobs seen by social media users. All you have to do is add a simple widget that allows readers to easily share the news of your job opening with others on social media sites. If your organization already has a blog, this is the perfect place to post job news. Ideally, this blog will already have a large following, so you will know that the information about your latest job opening will be seen by thousands of people. And in turn, those people will have the ability to share that with other interested people through their social media sites.

Ah, the wonders of technology.

If you do create your own Twitter or Facebook account, however, one of the most important aspects you will need to master is interaction. You will want to make your online presence as welcoming as you can. One of the best ways to do this is to show you are, you know, human. Let's face it, people are not going to want to connect with you if your presence seems automated. This means you should avoid copy/pasted statements, and put some life into your words. For instance, when you set up a Twitter account for your nonprofit organization, you definitely want to get the word out about your latest job opening, but you should also tweet things that encourage discussion amongst your followers, like interesting news items. This will allow you to get a good idea of how they might interact with others if they were working at your non profit organization.

In the end, social media recruiting is really just an online version of networking. The only difference is you are dealing with a much larger group of candidates. And because social media is used by so many people today, you have the added benefit of reaching a much larger audience than if you posted your job recruitment ads in a newspaper. Transitioning your job outreach to an online arena may be difficult for some nonprofits but at the end of the day, it is something that will make your organization stronger and more competitive in the long run.

Social Networks and Nonprofits: A Perfect Pair

I've already talked about how important networking is in getting into the nonprofit sector.  I didn't mention, however, that there are more ways to network other than just attending networking events.  Perhaps you have heard of this new thing called social networking.  Supposedly it's a big deal these days. 

Joking aside, using tools like Twitter and Facebook can really help you in your quest to start your career in the non profit sector.  Excuse the shameless self-promotion, but you probably already know of one Twitter account that can help you search for non profit jobs.  But besides this, social networking websites can be used to gain a better understanding of the company you are hoping to join.  While reading the "About Us" page on an NPOs official website may give you some knowledge of what the organization does, looking at their Facebook page will give you a better idea of the culture of the company.

As for the actual "networking," I would recommend (if you haven't already) immediately setting up a profile on LinkedIn.  This website is essentially the MySpace for professionals.  It allows you to post your job history, resume, and (most importantly) connect with other professionals.  You can also apply for jobs through LikedIn, and this is when the site really starts to pay off.  If you know someone who knows someone at a nonprofit you apply to on the site, you will be informed of this on the sidebar.  As we all know, connections are key to getting a job you want, so this is why I did most of my job searching through LinkedIn; it allowed me to see what potential connections I had at the compnies I applied to.

Of course, you cannot completely avoid regular networking.  Social networking should be used as a complement to, and not a replacement for, traditional networking.  An example of this delicate process would be using Twitter to connect with people going to a networking event.  One of the hardest parts of these events is not knowing anybody.  By using Twitter (or some other social networking site), you will have instant connections before you even get there, giving you a comfort zone.

What are your thoughts on social networking?  As always, we'd love to hear from you.

Online Presence Managment-Making a Good First Impression

In today’s day and age, many potential nonprofit job seekers have their presence all over the web, especially on social networking services like Facebook and MySpace.  Sites like these are great for friends and family, but it can create problems when it comes to employment.  Yes, you and your buddies might find the pictures from your friend’s bachelor party hilarious; but it’s a safe bet that a potential employer will not.  Because of the ease of use of search engines, it has become easier for employers to scout out recent interviewees.  Yes, the internet giveth; but it also taketh away. 

It might sound wrong, but what an employer discovers about your outside life on the internet will indeed be a factor in whether or not you are hired.  In 2005, ExecuNet.com, a job search and networking website, found that 75 percent (!) of companies use the internet to research job candidates.  And of these, 26 percent have actually decided not to hire candidates because of what they found.  That may not sound like a whole lot but in the big picture, it really is.

All of this information doesn’t mean you have to turn your Facebook or other social networking tools into sterile zones reminiscent of THX-1138.  What it does mean is that when you are applying for a job, you should think twice about the information you choose to share with the world.  With this in mind, here are some tips on how to save yourself from potential embarrassments:

Party Smart

Let’s face it-when you are at a party, you are going to do things that you might later regret.  And chances are there are going to be those that think it would be pretty hilarious to post those pictures of you on the internet.  And really, it’s not just the Facebooks of the world that you have to worry about.  Indeed, there are plenty of public photo sites out there like Photobucket where those harmful photos can be uploaded with ease.  So what we’re trying to say here is this: you can have a good time when you party, but party smart.  Oh, and try to avoid the cameras.

Get Rid of Embarrassing Content

Before you apply for a job, Google yourself and see what you find.  As a matter of fact, you should search for yourself on all of the major search engines.  If you find content about you that could potentially come back to haunt you, attempt to get rid of it.  This can be done by contacting the webmaster and asking that the material be removed from the site in question.  And if you’re too lazy to do this yourself, there are plenty of web services you can use to do it for you, like ReputationDefender.com. 

For your personal sites, you should delete anything you don’t want to be seen; even if you think there is no way it will be found.  Remember, there is no such thing as being too cautious when there is a job on the line!

In Conclusion

Social networks are a great tool, and it’s easy to forget that by using them you are really putting yourself out there for the world to see.  I’ll end with this: you don’t need to be paranoid about what you post; you just need to be smart.