The job market has never been so competitive. As we step out of the Covid-19 pandemic, the e-commerce scene is booming, start-ups continue to be on the rise, and more people are unemployed than ever before.
While there are plenty of opportunities sprouting up for flexible workers, and WFH positions continue to dominate the scene, the pandemic’s digital shift has transformed both the way we work and the way we apply for jobs.
The CV of tomorrow is digital. No longer are employers relying on a simple two-sided PDF, but they plan to dig further into candidates’ digital profiles as the competition for a single role continues to rise.
In fact, according to a recent Career Builder survey, 70% of employers now also consult their candidate’s social media profiles during the hiring process in order to gather greater insight into their potential hire. In response, we are now seeing the birth of the ‘Social CV’, a pocket-size digital handbook on your personality, interests and engagement outside of the workplace that provides employers with a chance to get to know the ‘real you’.
As you can see above, recruiters use a number of social platforms to evaluate candidates during the hiring process, with the popular professional platform Linkedin, coming in at the top place.
Stay with us as we decode the future of the social CV, explore the future of tech-infused recruitment and reveal some of our best tricks and tweaks that will make your social media profile stand out to potential employers.
Treat Your Social Profiles As An Online Portfolio
If you’re on the job hunt, it’s time to start giving your social media profiles some food for thought. With over half of hiring managers now interested in learning about your life online, it’s time to start treating your social platforms as a digital portfolio that can showcase your work outside of your application.
Take your Linkedin profile for example, why not start sharing your achievements and posting insights into your industry that could gain traction with the right demographic? Better still, for media and marketing based roles, why not utilise more creative platforms such as Instagram and TikTok to showcase your content, copy and editing skills, all attributes hiring managers will be searching for as they narrow down their prospects.
Alfredo Atanacio, CEO of Uassist.ME claims that proof of work means everything when applying for a role. “To ensure your profiles are attractive to your potential bosses, I would personally recommend having proof of work. For me, it’s a game-changer when I see a candidate with a case study, a portfolio, or blogs and articles. In this digital age, it’s effortless to create something, show your work, and connect with anyone around the world.”
Creating a strong portfolio across your social network is a great way to showcase the skills you have mentioned on your CV, and put your words into practice.
Keep It Clean & Relevant
Did you know that 79% of HR professionals have struck a candidate off of their list due to inappropriate content on their social media profile? Trust us, your future employer will check, so it’s time to start scrolling far back and delete any content that may be deemed as disrespectful or unsupporting of your potential employer’s views.
The key here is to stay on top of the trends. Keep your content fresh, consistent and relevant while still remaining professional across your profiles. Our tip here is to privatise your most personal accounts and create ‘public’ versions of your social identity that are in touch with your industry’s demographic.
Be Engaged In Your Industry
On the topic of being in touch with your industry, staying engaged on social media in relevant topical debates and discussions surrounding your field of knowledge is a great way to make your social media CV stand out.
Engaging with trending hashtags and providing opinions and updates on your demographic’s trending topics tells an employer that you’re passionate about your potential role both in and out of the workplace.
Better still, why not use your social platform to connect with other experts in your industry. Connecting with industry experts in your field on professional social platforms such as Linkedin and Twitter is a great place to start.
CEO of DML Capital, Liam Leonard claims that engaging with other experts within the field is an easy green flag for hiring managers.
“Show that you are engaging with other people in the industry. Employers want to see that you have a personal interest in the field, and by engaging with other industry professionals, you show that not only are you plugged in, but you are also constantly looking for the cutting-edge changes that will make you even more of an expert. Share industry news, talk with other experts and show your excitement” He comments.
A Digital Future
With over 4.26 billion people now on social media as of 2022, it’s time to get digitally savvy if you want to stick out within a field of content creators, advertisers and multi-platform trends.
Prioritising your social CV is just the start of a digital future of hiring. As the pre-pandemic corporate world continues to feel like a lifetime to go, the only way is forward for employees and employers alike as we all navigate this new online landscape.