Advice for graduates: Using social media to job hunt

On Wednesday, I was invited to speak at the University of Manchester, talking to a group of students about how they could best use social media to increase their chances of getting a job in after their graduation.

While the recollections of my own student years have gradually disappeared down the memory hole, I was interested to return to university to share my own experiences and thoughts on how someone could develop an online CV which spans several websites.

One stat which I keep reeling out during talks on employability and social media comes from a survey from CareerBuilder.co.uk; that 43 per cent of employers search t'internet when they receive a CV from a potential candidate. And by 'search the internet', we're talking about name searches on Google, Bing, Facebook and, to a lesser extent, Twitter.

Out of those employers searching for candidates, 35 per cent found something online which caused them not to hire the candidate.

But don't turn off the lights on your blog or Facebook account just yet. The fact that just under half of employers are searching the web for potential candidates actually offers a massive opportunity for those postgraduates looking to move into a full-time job.

And here's why.

Because out of the employers that looked up an applicant, a large proportion found something online that impressed them about that candidate. So, what did they find?

A blog

I'd argue that blogging is one of the most important assets a graduate looking for a job can have. In my estimation, employers are looking for a candidate to have (among other things) an interest; a sign that a person isn't just applying for a job because of a desire to pay the rent, but rather because they have a genuine passion for the industry they're looking to move into.

And a blog is one of the best ways to demonstrate this. A relevant blog, I hasten to add.

• If you want to work in advertising, write a blog about the campaigns you like.
  
• If you want to work in copywriting, start a blog about copy which caught your imagination.
  
• If you want to work in social media marketing, start a blog about social media campaigns. There are plenty of them to study.
  

You get the idea. Two posts a month, every month. Repeat as necessary. It's not a huge drain on time or resources when you consider the outcome. Because I guarantee that a person who blogs about what they want to do for a living is a lot more attractive to an employer than someone who doesn't blog at all.

Plus, you'll get the chance to learn more about the industry you want to work in.

A Twitter account

Students should tweet more. If you want to work in the digital industry, it's the singular most powerful tool you have in your arsenal. And here's why:

Twitter gives you a direct line to the people who hire people.

And here's what you can use it for:

• Display a passion and an interest for your chosen career path. Link to content which interests you. Link to your blogs. Let people know about your interests.
  
• Learn from people already working in the industry. (What are the hot topics in the industry? What do they link to? What is their job really like?)
  
• Find job opportunities (yes, they're posted on Twitter)
  
• Demonstrate your knowledge about an industry
  
• Create relationships with people. For while they may not have a vacancy for your dream job, but they may know someone who does)
  

Use lists to find these people (many of these are organised by profession), but don't harass people for a job as soon as you find them.

Engage, acknowledge, share.

Also, try not to take your phone out drinking with you. Remember, don't post anything you wouldn't want your mother to see; you can lock the profile down so only friends see your updates, but that's not really the point of Twitter.

As an aside, a number of the students who attended the talks on Wednesday have recently signed up to (or already use) to Twitter. If you want to give them a bit of friendly advice (or keep an eye out for them for a potential position), they are (to the best of my knowledge):

http://twitter.com/k_boneva
http://twitter.com/Hannah_ODonnell
http://twitter.com/beniciooo
http://twitter.com/cj_goodwin
http://twitter.com/Christina_CCG
http://twitter.com/yasminhall123

Facebook:

Lock it. All the way down.

Watch out for profile pictures. I believe that the default setting of Facebook is to normally leave them all viewable regardless of whether you're a friend or not. The option to make them inaccessible to the public is separate from the other settings and can be found under the traditional privacy options via a link called 'edit album privacy'.

Rich media

If you want to move into a creative role, rich media is a godsend. Display your photos on Posterous, Tumblr or Flickr. 'Don't hide your work in a draw,' is an old writer's saying. The saying is true for most things.

LinkedIn

Have a LinkedIn profile. It's like an online CV anyone can read. Make sure you fill out all the informational boxes: your experience, honours etc.

If you feel inclined, take part in some group discussions. I'd advise keeping to the local groups, just because it's less crowded; it's more relevant to the relationships and connections you're trying to create.

And the rest

Social media gives you the opportunity to advertise yourself in an entirely new way. Job hunting doesn't just have to be limited to sending out a CV and waiting for the phone to ring. These online channels give graduates the opportunity to demonstrate what they can offer a company; a passion, an interest and an inventive way to advertise their services.

And don't just stick to this advice. Be inventive. Be creative. Have fun.

But, trust me on the sunscreen.

And finally, here's some decent resources if you're interested (with a healthy marketing and social media bias):

Mashable - Leading social media resource for news and advice.
Guardian Technology - The major technology stories from The Guardian.
The Next Web - Another great resource for web and social media news.
How Do - North West news site focused on creative, marketing and business news in the North West.
How to get your first job in SEO - Some nice online advice, regardless of the career you're after.

SEO blog comments - how to spot a spammer

As an SEO blog, Manchester SEO has had its fair share of comment spam; posts by other authors for the sole purpose of procuring a link to a third-party website.

Here's a guide to the five main types of blog spam (All examples are taken from comments submitted to Manchester SEO and posted verbatim).

The fame (spam) monster

Some spammers are starstruck. Faced with an SEO blog of such fame and celebrity, they go weak at the knees, suddenly turning into those screaming teenagers you see clambering over railings outside a premiere for a Robert Pattinson film.

They're so overwhelmed with emotion, they can only express how amazing your online work is. A bit like this. (00:43 for full effect)



Still, they're able to regain their composure towards the end of the comment and kindly include a link to their own site. Bless their little socks.

"Hey. I don’t normally leave comments, but I just wanted to say thanks for the great information. I have a blog too, thoughI don’t write as good as you do, but if you want to check it out here it is. Thanks again and have a great day!"

I'm the saddest blog spam in the world

Pessimistic SEO blog spam knows it isn't going to see the light of a Google spider. It's had a few bad experiences in the past and, quite frankly, it doesn't even want to be a comment on your blog. It would rather be at home watching Come Dine With Me.

This kind of comment is quite easy to spot. It hasn't made an effort, it's full of typos and incoherent sentences. Occasionally it even forgets to put on its keywords. It knows that it's not going to get past the admin process, so it doesn't even bother.

"simple looks simple yet can reach out lots of people there in just a single twit.."

The 'I love lamp' spam

This blog comment likes stating the obvious. It thinks that 'SEO copywriting is good' and is adamant that 'Google likes keywords'.



Its bowel-shattering insights are award-winning; boiling complex 500-word essays down to six-word sentences and summarising a blog post for the reader as if they were a drooling monkey.

"twitter is one of the most used social networking sites nowadays :) it's easy to use."

Wham, blam, thank you blog spam

Some spammers don't have time for foreplay. They're not really interested in getting to know you or taking you to the cinema; they just want you for your PageRank. All they're after is a quick and dirty link.

If you let them into your house, they'll take advantage of your hospitality. They'll selfishly use your precious blog for every single keyword and once they've got what they came for, you'll never see them again.

"This is very useful blog for all. SEO: SEO Services, Best SEO Company (Search Engine Optimization Company), Expert in SEO/SEM services, SMO, Pay par click services link building services, offering professional website promotion services include local search marketing organic web promotion services and SEM services."

An officer and a generally good comment

Occasionally though, you'll come across an irresistible blog comment. Posts which are insightful, thought-provoking and crucially, prove that the author has actually taken the time to read the blog before sharing their musings.

These comments tick all the right boxes. They're presentable, charming and insightful; the kind of blog comment your mother wanted you to marry. Yes, they may just be using you for a link but, by gosh, it's hard to say no to that fine piece of comment.

"Brilliant! I love comparisons like this that bring theories back to reality with a bump. I did start watching Lost but gave up halfway through series 2, think I will have to get the boxed sets and catch up."

Embarrassing (SEO Blog) Illnesses

Is your SEO blog suffering from an ailment? Are you too embarrassed to discuss the issue with family or friends? Don't let it keep you awake at night. There is help at hand.

The embarrassing SEO blog surgery is now open. Next patient please.

Patient One

Symptoms: Blog not visible in desired Google searches. Discomfort expressed by author. Initial content sample shows deficiency in appropriate keywords.

Diagnosis: Acute keyword deficiency

Treatment:

Appropriate keywords to be taken by content as required.
Blog advised to include keywords in article title and domain URL
Recommended increase of keywords in link anchor text

Patient Two

Symptoms: Patient's copy struggles socially. Blog has difficultly in maintaining relationships and fails to engage users in conversation relating to content. Lower than average follower count on Twitter and reduced presence of retweets.

Diagnosis: Social media disorder

Treatment:

Patient advised to increase social media intake
Repeated use of '@' function recommended in order to establish relationships with other users
Suggest copious application of retweet feature for third-party content

Patient Three

Symptoms: Content unintelligible and rarely coherent. Complaining of high bounce rate and low conversions. Examination shows an unusually high level of keywords and low readability ratio.

Diagnosis: Clinical keyword obesity

Treatment:

Patient told to reduce content intake of SEO keywords
Apply proofreading before publishing
Closely monitor keyword density of text
Attend support group for advice on producing readable content

Patient Four

Symptoms: Blog lifeless. Numbness detected in originality area. Creative constipation. Visible plagiarism in content. Heavy bleeding in reputation.

Diagnosis: Parasitic content stealer

Treatment:

Take two creativity tablets per blog, as required.
Recommended surgical removal of Ctrl and V buttons from keyboard
Patient advised to monitor industry news websites for inspiration

How Manchester uses Twitter

The use of Twitter as a marketing and communication tool has been well documented. Here are four ways Manchester companies and bloggers are using Twitter in order to promote, learn and collaborate.

Sharing Knowledge

Twitter allows users to broadcast information. At the risk of sounding like an iPhone advert - any information. Members of the Twitterati can share news, opinion and anecdotes with a number of followers. In any one moment of the day, an individual can have access to a wealth of new information they may never have discovered without the service.

A Manchester example:

As an SEO copywriter, I'm always interested in the opinions and views from peers in the field. Twitter gives me the opportunity to absorb information and advice from a number of SEO and social media professionals in the community (and from around the UK). Blogs from the likes of local writers such as Andrew Nattan, Kieron Hughes and Julia Shuvalova provide topical and insightful discussion into both the SEO and social media industry.

Business Promotion

Cost-effective promotion has never been easier than on Twitter. Within a few keystrokes and a quick left click on a mouse, an organisation can quickly advertise products and events on a massive scale.

A Manchester example:

There are many Manchester tourism groups which artfully use Twitter to this end. Creative Tourist, Visit Manchester and Urbis museum all regularly tweet about exhibitions and events around the city.

Most recently, tweets from the Piccadilly Manchester account advertised a series of events – Platform 4 Piccadilly – which took place in Manchester City Centre last weekend.


Which inspired me to hop on a 42 bus – braving the start of Fresher's week – to take these photographs and share them on Twitter.




Additionally, this act of third-party promotion can create a ripple effect - spreading a campaign across a Twitter community and thereby raising awareness (and visitor numbers).

Industry Events

Twitter gives a user access to countless different communities – SEO groups, social media collectives and local bloggers. Many of these collectives hold regular gatherings which allow individuals to meet up, discuss news in the industry and socialise over a few beers.

A Manchester example:

There are a number of Manchester SEO and social media meet ups around the city. Northern Digitals, Geek Up, Manchester Digital and Manchester Blogmeet are just some of the blog and industry groups which regularly hold events for anyone with an interest in the industry.

Social Media Cafe Manchester holds a monthly meeting, the latest at the BBC, which features seminars and light-hearted debate.

This event, like many others around Manchester, gives Twitter users the opportunity to meet each other, discuss ideas and collaborate.

Self Promotion

Twitter offers users the opportunity to self-promote. Individuals can plug blogs, services and goods in their 140 characters. Twitter has been used to advertise products which would normally rot away on Amazon Marketplace, find a date for an evening and direct traffic to a blog.

A Manchester example:

Twitter has provided the vast majority to traffic to this SEO blog. Over the site's lifetime, 31 per cent of visitors have entered from links posted and retweeted on Twitter.

This promotion acts as a low-level targeted advertisement. The vast majority of my followers have an interest in SEO/social media and work in the Manchester SEO community. The nature of Twitter allows me, in the same way Manchester tourism companies use the service, to promote posts to the appropriate audience. These entries can be read and commented on accordingly.

Cough.

Ten important blogs - the top bloggers to have shaped modern blogging

Belle De Jour

Arguably, the first British blogger to break out of the virtual world and into the real one. Before the book deal, the television show and the Guardian column, Ms. De Jour entertained and titillated with her experiences as a London call girl. Witty and superbly written (to the point where a UK paper tried to out her as a journalist) and occasionally laugh-out-loud, it's worth a look for those with an interest in both the cultural importance of online copywriting and, um, the subject in hand.

Belle De Jour

Bob Somerby

Founder of the Daily Howler blog, Bob Somerby was one of the first major political writers on the internet. While often criticised for being inaccurate and biased, the Daily Howler showed that it was possible to write about politics and maintain a healthy bounce rate at the same time. Political bloggers such as Guido Fawkes have a lot to thank him for.

Daily Howler

Matt Cutts

As head of Google's Webspam team, Matt Cutts knows things. Secret things. Things that an SEO copywriter would kill for. Sadly, Mr. Cutts isn't known for blurting out algorithm secrets, or indeed, the 16 digit number on the front of the company credit card. Nor should we expect him too. Occasionally though, Cutts lets slip about the latest update or indeed, confirms popular theories surrounding SEO strategy. Every little helps.

Matt Cutts

Comment is Free (The Guardian)

While not a personal blog, The Guardian's Comment Is Free is one of the most influential collection of online musings. The Guardian has a reputation for pushing the boundaries of what a newspaper can achieve online and the launch of CiF showed that news and opinion could peacefully coexist in a virtual world. 700 writers regularly contribute to the CiF section – named after a quote from CP Scott – and, even today, it remains one of the leading sites for online opinion and conjecture.

Comment is Free

NightJack

Richard Horton – detective constable for the Lancashire Constabulary - is better known as NightJack, the Orwell Prize-winning blogger famous for his emotional insight into the secret world of the police force. He became infamous for his criticisms of police bureaucracy and his honest appraisal of the job – describing one local community as the 'evil poor' being just one controversial opinion. Horton's identity was revealed by a court order earlier this year after a landmark legal battle with The Times newspaper. The blog was deleted and Horton was issued a formal warning by his employers. The implications of this ruling, rather than the blog itself, cements its position in the list.

Perez Hilton

Love or loath the nature of his work, Perez Hilton has made his name reporting on the loves and lives of Hollywood's elite. His first blog, PageSixSixSix.com, was famous for its brutal and cut-throat reporting of some of the biggest celebrity scoops. The blog inspired countless imitators and thousands of like-minded sites and Perez is now thought to be one of the most influential people in show business; the blog has been know to launch the careers of his friends and acquaintances. Like Mika.

Perez Hilton

Justin Hall

Widely considered to be the pioneer of the personal blog, Jusin Hall started Links.net in 1994. As a student at Swarthmore, Hall began chronicling his daily life and undergraduate experiences. He revealed the most intimate details about his time at university – relationships, holidays and, at one point chronicled the time he obtained an STD from a partner. The origins of internet angst.

Justin Hall

Tom Watson

While he may have resigned his parliamentary seat under a hail of tabloid exclamation marks, Tom Watson will be forever remembered as one of the first politicians to connect to constituents through the power of blogging. In 2004, Watson won the New Statesman New Media Award for his attempts to share politics with the electorate. Politicians from both sides of the aisle have followed in his footsteps.

Tom Watson

Xeni Jardin

As the co-editor of cult site Boing Boing, Xeni is responsible for the proliferation of peculiar things. Back in the days before people realised the internet could be used to broadcast more unusual content – talking Nazi cats juggling melons and the like -this woman was spreading internet memes far and wide. An inspiration to all who'd rather surf B3ta than get any actual work done.

Xeni Jardin

Evan Williams

The father of social media, Williams made blogging accessible to all after creating Blogger.com in 1993. The simple layout and open-to-all approach brought blogging into the public domain. It now averages just over 140 million visitors per day. Williams can currently be found at his latest creation, Twitter.

Evan Williams