University Career Services
Northwestern University
How to Use Social Media in Your Search Social Networking/Media can greatly enhance your job or internship search. Online communities and services are recommended to 1) market yourself to potential employers, and 2) aid in your overall search strategy. Below are some tips for utilizing some of the more popular sites. LinkedIn (Register at linkedin.com) Networking site designed to help you find the “experts” and develop a stronger professional presence online. Utilize this Resource Complete your profile 100% and error free. Join relevant groups, including Northwestern UCS & Northwestern Alumni. Use proper etiquette. Avoid contacting people you do not know without any connection or introduction. Network with group members professionally, requesting informational interviews. Post discussions within groups asking for advice or assistance with career planning. Research companies and your possible connections within organizations. Follow companies of interest and comment on company updates. Perform and save job searches. Increase your Marketability Make as many relevant connections as possible. Add industry-specific keywords to your profile. Add substance to your profile summary. Request recommendations from professors or past supervisors. Use the answers section to post or answer questions. Include a custom profile link (with your name) in your email signature. Change your setting to full view if you want your profile to appear in Google searches. Consider linking to your blog (if you have one) on your profile. Need more help with LinkedIn? Comprehensive List of Resources for LinkedIn: http://www.linkedintelligence.com/smart-ways-touse-linkedin/ LinkedIn Learning Center: http://learn.linkedin.com/ University Career Services Main Location: 620 Lincoln Street Career Lab: Main Library, Core Reserve, 2nd Flr Phone: 847-491-3700
Twitter (Register at twitter.com) Social networking and micro-blogging service. Utilize this Resource Follow job- and internship-related individuals and groups, including @northwesternucs, companies of interest, career coaches & industry experts. Research the individuals your career-related tweeters are following to build your follower list. Use twitterjobsearch.com and tweetmyjobs.com to search tweets for postings. Search using hash tags, including #jobpostings, #intern, #employment, #career, #tweetmyjobs. Increase your Marketability Make your Twitter presence “employer-friendly.” Include your job pitch in your 160-character Twitter bio. Include a link to your blog or website. Use a professional avatar or photo. Tweet about your job/internship search. Establish yourself as an expert in your field. Tweet photos or videos of your work through applications like Twitpic or TwitVid. Create a professional background. Source: http://mashable.com/2009/03/13/twitter-jobs/ Need more help with Twitter? http://www.job-hunt.org/executive-job-search/twittertoolbox.shtml Facebook, Google+: Like or circle employer pages where recruiting events and company-specific opportunities are often posted. WordPress, Posterous or Tumblr: Use one or more of these sites to develop your own blog. YouTube: Are you a Filmmaker? Or Artist? Upload your own videos to make available to employers during your job search. Flickr, Issuu, Pinterest: Upload samples of your work to be viewed by prospective employers. QR Codes: Include on custom business cards to link your card to your LinkedIn profile. Pingtags.com is one service that can create a QR code for this purpose. Website: northwestern.edu/careers Like UCS @ facebook.com/northwesternUCS Follow UCS @ twitter.com/northwesternUCS Subscribe to UCS @ youtube.com/northwesternUCS Join UCS @ www.linkedin.com/groupRegistration?gid=1926036