How to Use Social Media When Job Hunting With Expert Kathy Bernard

How to Use Social Media When Job Hunting With Expert Kathy Bernard Since the economy took a plunge in 2009, we’ve all heard horror stories of people spending months and months submitting application after application and not getting any responses. But what about those people who have jobs where they’re overworked and underpaid?â€Å"I think the biggest challenge for job seekers today is the unrealistic expectations of many companies,† says Kathy Bernard, creator of Getajobtips.com. â€Å"They often expect a person to do the work of three people, and they want to pay them terribly at the same time.†Bernard, who hopes to help both the unemployed and miserably employed through her site, says that today many job seekers are having to learn to adjust to working multiple jobs at poverty income. And the situation is especially frustrating because in many cases, large companies are raking in record profits and could pay fairly.â€Å"They can get away with paying horribly because people need a job so badly,† she says.At the same time, Kathy says it’s tough for small businesses that often can’t afford to hire people because of all the expenses and taxes they must pay.Kathy offers great insight on landing a job in today’s market. Here’s what she had to say:  What advantages do today’s job hunters have?Job seekers have many advantages today that earlier generations did not. The biggest advantage they have is LinkedIn, which gives them a way to establish a strong brand, research companies, reach out to recruiters, re-connect with former coworkers, get recommendations, and much more.How important are social media sites- especially LinkedIn- to job hunters?LinkedIn is huge for the job search! According to ERE.net and other sources, 94 percent of recruiters use LinkedIn to find or vet candidates for their open positions. For most job seekers, it is also beneficial to have a basic understanding of all of the major social media sites (particularly LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitte r, and Pinterest) so that you can talk knowledgeably about them in interviews and use the sites (if required) for business purposes.What are some best practices for using social media when you’re searching for a job?Fully complete your LinkedIn profile. Particularly pump up your LinkedIn headline and past and current job titles. Pack each job entry with relevant duties to impress hiring companies looking for people with your background.Also, have an established account on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest. It is easy to establish profiles on these sites, and just taking such a simple step gives you an easy answer if recruiters ask about your social media experience.Don’t express controversial views on Facebook and don’t post messages so frequently that you annoy people. Realize that your profiles can be seen by recruiters and that your past postings can hurt you.What are good habits that every job seeker needs to get into in order to land a job faster?Don’ t isolate yourself. Attend job-networking groups, set up networking coffees, participate in skills-building workshops and webinars, pump up your LinkedIn profile, and ask people for help (and prepare them to help you as effectively as possible). If your resume and LinkedIn profile aren’t pulling well for you or if you are continually not getting job offers after interviewing, enlist professional help to transform your application materials and prepare for interviews.