Facebook is Where You Will Find Your Next Job

Facebook, it is where we spend an average 24 hours a week and it is likely where you are going to find your next job. Indeed, LinkedIn and all job boards are facing their biggest threat yet: Employers can move their job posts from websites that people only use when job hunting to Facebook, where almost everybody spends their time. Let us lay out the case for why your next job will be found on Facebook and give you three tips for getting your next job through the platform.
The main reason you will find a job on Facebook is employers can post their jobs for free while LinkedIn and Indeed are increasingly asking for companies for thousands of dollars to post jobs and keep them in front of job seekers. Facebook is charging for promoting the job to extend their reach but current fans that like or follow a company can see the free jobs as well as visitors to company pages on Facebook.
The other reason you will find a job on Facebook is that Facebook groups are exploding in popularity, especially city-based jobs groups and profession based jobs groups. LinkedIn and Indeed often direct you to jobs outside of your communities and profession as they earn revenue from people clicking on jobs. If you join the Victoria Jobs Groups you can search through hundreds of local jobs, and if you join the Machinist Jobs Canada group you will get only jobs in your profession.
Groups are the first tip about getting your next job through Facebook. Since these groups are made up of people you can interact with, you can actually reach out to people in a network. Start by being a positive member of groups, liking posts and offering encouragement or sharing. You never know what potential co-worker or hiring manager is a member of a group you are going to join.
Our second tip is to have a friendly, normal, good picture on your profile and have your privacy setting set to ensure employers and potential co-workers cannot see your “wild side”. Some people think employers will not look at Facebook but someone who is involved in the hiring process (likely the supervisor or even potential co-worker) is going to want to know who they might have to work with 8 hours a day, 40 hours a week. They will check you out and if you did some wild stuff on the weekend or in college, it is likely best to make it private.
Finally, research shows us that your casual network is the way that most people get hired. As a result, you should maintain a reasonable size network of friends, colleagues and professionals on Facebook and remember to connect with people offline. If there are social activities happening at your church, sports group or charity, get off the couch and participate. When people get to know you a little bit they are likely going to recommend job opportunities they hear about to you, and they will more likely do that if you are more than a “virtual friend”!

Kael Campbell is President and Lead Recruiter of Red Seal Recruiting Solutions, a company providing recruitment services in mining, equipment and plant maintenance, utilities, manufacturing, construction, and transportation. When he is not recruiting, Kael spends as much time as possible with family in the great outdoors and on the water. He volunteers his time as a Board Member of the Entrepreneurs Organization of Victoria and a Member of Victoria Marine Search and Rescue. You are invited to subscribe to our employer newsletter or submit your resume.