Nearly everyone has at least one social media profile.  For most of you, there’s a good chance you’ve got several profiles on various social networks.  Social media has proven to be a great way to connect with and even influence large numbers of people whether personal or professional.  In addition to the social media phenomenon, people are using videos to get their messages across while branding themselves in the process.  In recent years, we have seen savvy job seekers utilize social media platforms as well as video production to expand their reach while advertising themselves and their job qualifications.

In an advanced age of technology, what are some of the most popular and effective ways to market yourself in the world of video and social media and how do you reach potential employers?

Finding a Job Using Social Media

An estimated 78 percent of Americans have a social network profile, representing a five percent growth compared to the previous year (Statista). It’s now commonplace to check out someone’s social profiles if you wish to learn more about them.  In the case of recruiters and hiring managers, they also use social media accounts as a way to discover more about a person and see if they are a good fit for a certain position.

If you’re looking for a pharmaceutical sales job, for starters, create accounts on the three largest social media platforms in the personal and professional world: Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.  If you already have profiles/accounts on any or all of these sites, you’ll want to “clean them up.”  This means updating and removing certain posts or photos that may be considered inappropriate or offensive.  Additionally, make sure your privacy settings are set up so that potential employers can find you and connect with you.

On a professional site like LinkedIn, your profile is somewhat like a resume.  In accordance, be sure to include information about your education, work experience, skills, and interests.  As a general note, the more info you have about yourself, the better.

Find and connect with corporate recruiters and HR Managers as well as companies you’re interested in on both personal and professional social media sites and be an active participant in discussions, even joining particular groups or organizations.  This will help expand your circle and extend your reach.

Make a Video

You may be surprised the next time you apply for a job that you have the opportunity to include a video in your application, or are invited to send in a video after you apply.  Many employers, seeking an efficient and effective way to evaluate applicants, are investigating ways to incorporate video technology into their hiring practices.  Susan Vitale, chief marketing officer at iCIMS, a provider of innovative Software-as-a-Service talent acquisition solutions, told US News & World Report that 65 percent of employers are adding video technology to learn about job seekers’ personality and professionalism before scheduling on-site or phone interviews.

Here are some of Vitale’s tips to remember when making a video for a potential employer:

• Do your research. As a job seeker, it’s up to you to assess your audience and target all of your materials to appeal to the employer.  “Job seekers must find out what the employer wants and how they think,” Vitale says, adding that she believes the best way to do this is to research the company and identify what makes it tick.
• Expand your channels.  If you really want to be creative and targeted, include on-screen text and other types of visual imagery that add more depth and meaning to your video. “Using information uncovered via research, job seekers can tap into a particular need the employer may have and apply this knowledge to create the right style video for the job,” claims Vitale.
• Practice makes perfect.Don’t plan to create your video in one sitting. You want to be sure to appear confident, natural and relaxed, and that sometimes takes practice.  “The goal of video technology is to allow the job seeker to clearly and concisely state their value proposition to the employer as it relates to the specific job for which they are applying,” Vitale says.
• Be concise.There is a reason why TV commercials are generally short: most people have limited attention spans and hiring executives/recruiters who are in active need of new hires are extremely busy.

On social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn, you can easily add videos to your profile page.  It never hurts to create these videos and either advertise them or send them to companies or organizations that you’d like to work for.  Video editing software is easy to use and much of it is free.  YouTube, for example, offers simple editing tools and provides yet another platform to advertise yourself.

As a proactive job-seeker, you’ll want to use all the technology available to you (including your smartphone, desktop mounted webcam or tablet) to create your video and make a positive first impression.  This is a great way to help you stand out from other applicants.

In this day and age, social media sites and personal videos provide easy ways to get noticed while creating memorable impressions on hiring managers.  Be sure to stay up to date on the current trends in the world of social networking and video creation; it just might help you land the pharmaceutical sales job of your dreams!