Between current economic conditions and the technological evolution of the internet, the traditional method most job seekers have taken to find a role look set to be a thing of the past.

With fewer jobs available and increased competition for these roles it is certainly a challenging time to be looking for work, but you can now boost your chances of getting an interview by using the internet to promote yourself to potential employees.

With over half of the UK population on Facebook, a further six million using Twitter and LinkedIn, social networking sites are paving the way for a new age of recruitment that looks set to replace the traditional recruiting process entirely.

A growing number of companies are now posting job opportunities, searching for candidates, screening applicants and engaging employees through social media sites.

This provides greater opportunities for candidates to interact with recruiters than the traditional approach of developing a CV and cover letter, locating jobs and submitting your application in the hope of receiving a call back.

A recent survey of 300 hiring professionals found that 91% use social networking sites to screen potential employees, with nearly half doing so immediately after receiving a job application and 68% of respondents having hired candidates because of what they learned about them on a social networking site.

Scott Bulloch, Operations Manager at ATA Recruitment commented “Using social networking sights such as Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter gives candidates the tool to project the image of a proactive, passionate and enthusiastic up and coming professional that employers should be fighting over to get in their organisations”.

“ATA is increasingly using social networking sites to canvas candidates which we would fail to attract using traditional recruitment methods, these sites are becoming a powerful platform for candidates and can help push them to the front of the competition”.

Many employers now use facebook to screen potential candidates however this doesn’t mean that you should increase the privacy settings on your profile there are simple ways to use facebook to your advantage. ATA Recruitment recommends that you update your public profile to give employers/recruiters a positive impression, such as information about work experience, hobbies, interests and qualifications. In the ‘About Me’ section it would also be beneficial to write a positive, inspiring branding statement that reflects why employers should give you an interview.

LinkedIn

It is important to build a professional network on LinkedIn, your profile should be fully completed and it is important to connect with old school and university friends and to join discussion groups related to the industries you’re interested in to get some insight into the hot topics and to ask astute questions – you never know which potential employers may also be following these groups.

Sharing links to your blog, reTweeting experts in your industry and posting links to relevant news stories will help to build exposure amongst professionals in your targeted industry. Following experts in your field to get you an insight into the key trends and if they follow you back, it may lead to a job opportunity. 

Scott concluded “Whether you are a graduate, have recently been made redundant or looking for a new opportunity, finding a job at the minute isn’t going to be easy. But social media can give you the platform to demonstrate the enthusiasm, passion and proactive attitude that will tick all the right boxes with employers and push you further to the front of the queue for a new role”.