Career Exploration in the Digital Age
Career Exploration in the Digital Age
Transcript
Next, let's talk about how to use social media to research potential employers and opportunities. Now, LinkedIn and many other sites certainly have traditional job postings. And by all means, set up a search to find the jobs you want. But there are other ways to find opportunities beyond traditional job hunting.
Beyond LinkedIn-- which we'll talk about-- there are also ways to use Twitter, as well as Facebook, and Instagram, and any other social network that you personally enjoy to find information. And interestingly, Evan Williams-- who is one of the co-founders of Twitter-- has actually described Twitter as primarily, a news system. He calls it real-time information network.
Now, we all know that you can use Twitter to follow your favorite TV shows, or sports teams, or political issues. I also think it can be a news feed of information for your job search. And here's how to use it this way.
First, you can go in and create a list on Twitter, or on LinkedIn, or any social network of all of the companies that you find as potential employers. So for example-- if you wanted to work in financial services, you could follow Chase Bank, Wells Fargo Bank, JP Morgan Bank, Citibank-- all the banks that you can think of. And just see what they're talking about.
Maybe they're opening a new branch in your region. Maybe they are starting a new incubator for technology ideas. Maybe they're talking about a specific program for veterans or for women. It basically gives you insight into what's important to all of the companies that you might want to work for.
What you can then do is look at each of these banks and see who they follow. They likely follow regional banks, or vendors to banks, or advertising agencies that service banks. Basically, it creates a web of opportunities for you to think beyond just the job that you might come to your job search having in mind.
Again, I so often find that people unnecessarily limit themselves to one industry. Well, I like math. I think financial services would be a good fit. And there might be a job one degree away that could be a real opportunity. Social media allows you to find those links and connections. So searching for opportunities is not just jobs. It's also looking at peripheral or related industries that could be a good fit for you.
On LinkedIn, you can do this by following companies. The other reason to do this when you click Follow-- let's say, Citibank as an example-- is that I want you to start feeding your mind with all of the information that companies want you to know about them. Just as you would read the news, or the sports scores, or the weather, or celebrity gossip, or whatever it is that you read on a daily basis-- I'd like you to create a news feed of all of the companies, and industries, and jobs that you might be interested in.
You have to be fast in this day and age so being the first one to see an opportunity can be really important. This also starts to prepare you for job interviews. So when you walk into an interview-- Let's say, again, for a banking job-- and they say, what do you like about our company? Why did you choose to work in this industry? Why is this the first role you want to go into after transitioning out of the military?
Rather than having one sentence, you can describe all of this research that you've done on the industry. Everything you've read about the company through their social media postings. Companies are spending millions of dollars feeding you information about what's important to them. You want to be there saying, I was somebody who listened. I'm the kind of potential employee who's done my homework before coming in for a job interview.
Other ways to apply the knowledge of following all of these employers and industry news is it gives you a reason to reach out to people. Let's say, your friend has connected you with a recruiter at a bank. And you want to reach out, but you're not sure what to say. It might give you a hook to say I saw on your company's social media posting this morning that you have a new program in China. I'm very interested in that.
It gives you ideas, and reasons, and connections. It feeds your mind of all the different ways to network and build your brand in other people's minds. It also gives you new people, and opportunities, and organizations to follow.
It gives you ideas. It gives you insights. It gives you creative thinking about your job search. And possibly, most importantly, by following companies and industries during your job search, I think it builds your confidence to enter the private sector. It gives you a depth of knowledge. Even not having been in that industry while you were serving in the military, you can say that you have read a lot. That you have a lot of industry knowledge. And really, that you're passionate and curious about the industry.
What employers want to see from career changers, from returning veterans is that passion and excitement about this next step in your career. Following companies on social media can provide that for you.
Beyond LinkedIn-- which we'll talk about-- there are also ways to use Twitter, as well as Facebook, and Instagram, and any other social network that you personally enjoy to find information. And interestingly, Evan Williams-- who is one of the co-founders of Twitter-- has actually described Twitter as primarily, a news system. He calls it real-time information network.
Now, we all know that you can use Twitter to follow your favorite TV shows, or sports teams, or political issues. I also think it can be a news feed of information for your job search. And here's how to use it this way.
First, you can go in and create a list on Twitter, or on LinkedIn, or any social network of all of the companies that you find as potential employers. So for example-- if you wanted to work in financial services, you could follow Chase Bank, Wells Fargo Bank, JP Morgan Bank, Citibank-- all the banks that you can think of. And just see what they're talking about.
Maybe they're opening a new branch in your region. Maybe they are starting a new incubator for technology ideas. Maybe they're talking about a specific program for veterans or for women. It basically gives you insight into what's important to all of the companies that you might want to work for.
What you can then do is look at each of these banks and see who they follow. They likely follow regional banks, or vendors to banks, or advertising agencies that service banks. Basically, it creates a web of opportunities for you to think beyond just the job that you might come to your job search having in mind.
Again, I so often find that people unnecessarily limit themselves to one industry. Well, I like math. I think financial services would be a good fit. And there might be a job one degree away that could be a real opportunity. Social media allows you to find those links and connections. So searching for opportunities is not just jobs. It's also looking at peripheral or related industries that could be a good fit for you.
On LinkedIn, you can do this by following companies. The other reason to do this when you click Follow-- let's say, Citibank as an example-- is that I want you to start feeding your mind with all of the information that companies want you to know about them. Just as you would read the news, or the sports scores, or the weather, or celebrity gossip, or whatever it is that you read on a daily basis-- I'd like you to create a news feed of all of the companies, and industries, and jobs that you might be interested in.
You have to be fast in this day and age so being the first one to see an opportunity can be really important. This also starts to prepare you for job interviews. So when you walk into an interview-- Let's say, again, for a banking job-- and they say, what do you like about our company? Why did you choose to work in this industry? Why is this the first role you want to go into after transitioning out of the military?
Rather than having one sentence, you can describe all of this research that you've done on the industry. Everything you've read about the company through their social media postings. Companies are spending millions of dollars feeding you information about what's important to them. You want to be there saying, I was somebody who listened. I'm the kind of potential employee who's done my homework before coming in for a job interview.
Other ways to apply the knowledge of following all of these employers and industry news is it gives you a reason to reach out to people. Let's say, your friend has connected you with a recruiter at a bank. And you want to reach out, but you're not sure what to say. It might give you a hook to say I saw on your company's social media posting this morning that you have a new program in China. I'm very interested in that.
It gives you ideas, and reasons, and connections. It feeds your mind of all the different ways to network and build your brand in other people's minds. It also gives you new people, and opportunities, and organizations to follow.
It gives you ideas. It gives you insights. It gives you creative thinking about your job search. And possibly, most importantly, by following companies and industries during your job search, I think it builds your confidence to enter the private sector. It gives you a depth of knowledge. Even not having been in that industry while you were serving in the military, you can say that you have read a lot. That you have a lot of industry knowledge. And really, that you're passionate and curious about the industry.
What employers want to see from career changers, from returning veterans is that passion and excitement about this next step in your career. Following companies on social media can provide that for you.