Using social media to find jobs

Finding jobs using Facebook

On Facebook you can connect with other people. You can join groups and connect with employers and organisations.

On Facebook you can:

• Use the search bar. Type in ‘Jobs on Facebook’ and groups near your area will appear, for example ‘Jobs in Bangor’, ‘Job vacancies in North Wales’. You can choose to follow, join or like these groups and see the latest vacancies
• Search for specific employers and companies. Like or follow their page to see their posts on your home feed. You can update your settings to manage the notifications and posts you see. This is a good way to find vacancies but also keeps you up to date with what the company is doing, which will be useful if you have an interview with them
• Follow the pages of any local recruitment agencies that post the types of jobs that interest you
• Write a post on your own timeline to let your friends, family and connections know you are looking for work. They might know about jobs that they can tell you about. Asking your contacts is a great way to find work

Finding jobs using LinkedIn

LinkedIn is focused on employment and lets you build a professional identity. You can network with others, search for jobs, make business connections and share your professional profile.

LinkedIn has a jobs section where you can search for jobs. You can also let people know you are looking for work by selecting ‘open to finding a new job' in your profile.

Build your LinkedIn network and what you see on your homepage by making connections. Do this by:

• Joining school, college, or university alumni groups
• Connecting with current and previous colleagues
• Researching companies you are interested in and following them
• Searching for and joining groups that cover topics of interest

Creating your LinkedIn profile is like doing an online CV. You should highlight your skills and experience and keep it up to date. LinkedIn headings suggests the information you need to include.

Visit Build a CV if you need ideas and do the Buzz Quiz to help you identify your strengths for your LinkedIn profile.

Finding jobs using X

Formerly called Twitter, X is an online news and social networking channel.

You can use X to post, comment, repost and love a message. Using the search bar you can find a list of companies who are advertising. For example, search ‘Jobs in Swansea’ or use a hashtag #jobsinmidwales.

Content on X moves very quickly. Get the most out of X by posting regularly.

Find jobs on X by:

• Following employers, job sites or recruiters that interest you
• Looking out for separate accounts that larger organisations might use to only share their job vacancies
• Following your local Job Centre Plus account
• Using hashtags to narrow down your search, for example #jobsinwales #jobsinGwynedd #jobsinconstruction #healthjobs

Building your own network on X takes time and effort. Get involved in conversations by:

• Liking interesting posts and replying
• Repost interesting content from organisations and mentioning other accounts using their @ profile name
• Following and engaging with friends and people you have worked with
• Taking part in X chats. These take place regularly and use a specific hashtag. Find ones that cover jobs or topics that interest you

Job Centre Plus have accounts that tweet vacancies and useful job search information covering all regions of Wales. Follow the accounts in your area. Job Centre Plus tend to post at the same time each week, but you can search for and find them at any time.

Finding jobs using TikTok

Tik Tok is a video sharing platform. Users can watch, create, edit and share videos.

Creating a simple video to share can be a good way to share your skills and knowledge to a larger audience, including potential employers.

In the search bar you can look for jobs in your area or search for specific jobs, for example ‘Jobs in Health in West Wales’ to see what comes up.

With millions of videos being shared, finding work through Tik Tok may take some time. Try and follow recognised accounts or reputable companies.