Career Planning and Social Media Use: Not Just for Job Seekers

If you are a student who is NOT currently searching for a job or internship, then consider taking the opportunity now to learn what you can about the variety of strategies available in using social media during a job or internship search.

I’ve previously discussed how preparation meeting opportunity is an essential component to the job search process. By reading about, and staying on top of, social media’s use for job searching, you can gain an advantage for when the time comes for you to actually pursue a job or internship.

For example, a number of students have told me that they do not plan to create a LinkedIn account anytime soon since they are not searching for a job or internship. But I share with them that this is precisely the time to consider joining LinkedIn. That way, you can take your time in becoming familiar with LinkedIn and its various features that can assist you more directly for when you are in job search mode.

By creating and working on your LinkedIn profile before your job search, you can organically build your LinkedIn connections, while networking and conducting informational interviews, all while becoming more knowledgeable about how to best utilize LinkedIn, including learning the ins and outs of LinkedIn etiquette. And you can do all this without the pressures of an actual job search.

Then, when you are ready to search for job and internship opportunities, you can continue to use LinkedIn accordingly (ideally with a job search plan developed in advance) without having to go through the learning curve that other folks will experience who will have just joined LinkedIn.