Me and Speckles

Thursday 26 January 2012

Using Facebook for business

Through this journey in going back to school, I find myself constantly fantasizing about where I will work when I one day. Seeing that I will be living in a completely different city, I often wonder how I will know what clinic would be good to start in. My first thought is that WCVM would have a list of potential clinics that would allow openings for new graduates. But what if I'm wrong? How will I know they won't just overwork me, the new grad who is a green-horn in the field? What if the hours of the practice are really unreasonable? How will I know?

Well these days, social media really closes the lid on the "What if?" questions. Since my quest to find a clinic that would offer a position to a new graduate in the future would start on the internet. I would be quite surprised if it didn't have some sort of social media page. Since knowing the clinic hours, who is the office manager, and whom, owns the practice is all elements to consider when looking for work, finding this information all in one location is quite a benefit. And I'm sure once my resume has been looked over by the manager, looking for me on social media sites, like Facebook is the first step of the interview process.
Meaghan Byar - Ready for hire!

Having a Facebook page that offers a listing ones previous employment, special training and personal interests offers a little insight into a potential hire. Seeing pictures of all night partying in skimpy outfits versus photos in proper work attire, or even in the workplace really reflect the first impression an employer has of an interviewee. Keeping a Facebook page professional and concise leads a potential employer a chance to see if you will be an adequate fit into the practice. On a personal note, I found that making this Facebook page really allowed me to reflect back on all the additional training I've had since NAIT. Adding these additional skills to my page might just give me a leg up on the applicants applying for the same position! I found this fun article about employers increasingly using Facebook to scope out applicants and tips on keeping your page work appropriate.

So see what Sara had to say about her social media page click here

2 comments:

  1. Using Facebook and other social media sites to develop connections with possible employers is an excellent idea. It can be tempting to rely on lists and advertisements provided by the university. However, often times the jobs that arise from your personal network are the most rewarding.

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  2. It is very true how the increased use in Facebook could have an impact on our professional lives. Employers don't want to see those inappropriate, personal photos of a potential hire. That article was very interesting in showing tips on how to help clean up your profile and increase privacy settings so they may perhaps not even be able to see it. That would be my first thought before going to apply for a job to increase my privacy settings so they could not see things from my personal life, as more and more employers are looking towards social media to gain insight on their potential employees. I agree with your point that social media and the internet are really closing the gap with the working world.

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