1/8: Social Media Intro for Individuals


One of the best ways to get an interview, and a job offer, is to network with people in your career field or pathway. Look for in-person and online networking opportunities.

2/8: Benefits to Social Media and the Job Search


If you're a job seeker actively in job search mode, social media can help you in many different ways. First, understand that when seeking a job, you are marketing your skills. Read about some of the basic benefits to marketing with social media.

3/8: Branding Yourself on Social Media


When you are looking for a job, you are marketing your skills and abilities. Because of this, it can be helpful to create a personal brand. Read about what to include when creating a brand for yourself.

4/8: Establishing Your Presence on Social Media


When you are looking for a job, you are marketing your skills and abilities, just like a business promotes their goods or services. Businesses choose their platforms based on what they're selling. For example, a restaurant or dry cleaner may use platforms like Facebook and Yelp. On the other hand, a manufacturer may use LinkedIn because that is where their audience is.

5/8: Sharing Online


Just like a business, you need to be visible for people to notice you. If you have a profile where nothing happens most of the time, you might as well not have it. Google uses bots called web crawlers to find new content on websites 24/7. If they hit your site and find nothing new, they take longer to return to your site. These bots work similarly in many of the social media platforms. So, if you do nothing, you get nothing.

6/8: Oversharing and Social Media


Oversharing is when people share too much personal information to the public or a stranger. It can happen both on and offline. However, it is a big problem on social media sites, which make "putting yourself online" easy.

7/8: Social Media and Networking for Job Seekers


Networking is the first step of building a relationship with a person you're interested in working for. There are both realistic and unrealistic goals. You cannot expect every person you give your resume or business card to hire you. You must get to know the person. They need to understand how you will be able to solve their problem. This simply can't be done with a piece of paper.

8/8: Online Safety Tips for Job Seekers


As long as people have been around, scams have been around. While the internet and new technology has been a good thing for the world, it's never been easier to scam others. 21st-century con artists have a wide variety of tools they can use to pull off their crimes without ever leaving their house. Fortunately, scams are easy to avoid if you know what to look for. Read on for some tips about how to stay safe when it comes to the job hunt.

1/8: Social Media Intro for Employers


Illinois workNet’s social media guides walk you through:

  • benefits of using social media,
  • process to determine what platforms will work best for your purpose, 
  • steps involved in creating a brand,
  • reasons why you need to "share" on social media; and,
  • ways to network in-person and on-line using your new social media presence.

2/8: How Social Media Can Help Your Business and Customers


Marketing your company is one of the ways to increase the likelihood of a person acting on that call. One of the most cost-effective ways to market your business while promoting a product or searching for a new employee is through social media. There are several benefits to consider when using social media in your marketing activities.

3/8: Branding Your Business for Hiring


Brands need to establish a mission and vision. What is yours? Simply hiring a new employee is a given. What is the real purpose behind what your business does, and what you need a new employee to do?

4/8: Establishing Your Business' Presence on Social Media


​Businesses establish a presence based on the type of product or service they offer. For example, a restaurant or dry cleaner may use platforms like Facebook and Yelp. On the other hand, a manufacturer may use LinkedIn or Google+ because that is where their audience is. Let's address a few of the factors and the major platforms that you could use to find a new employee.

5/8: Marketing Your Business on Social Media


​To get noticed on social media, you must be active. If any profile on any platform sits stagnant, you might as well not have the profile. Google uses bots called web crawlers to find new content on websites 24/7. If they hit your site and find nothing new, they take longer to return to your site. These algorithms work similarly in many of the social media platforms. Sharing information on social media gives you a chance to show your thought leadership. In fact, this is one of the four reasons why businesses use social media.

6/8: Enhance Your Business Networking with Social Media


Networking is crucial to business. Very few businesses today claim to have too much business. Relying upon advertising alone will not bring in the business or the new employees that you need to fuel your growth. Today, networking can happen in-person or virtually through social media. Not only can you network on social media, but you can enhance your in-person networking by building a solid social media network.

7/8: Keeping Your Business and Customers Safe Online


​There are many things to remember when it comes to the internet. The most important would be "If it seems too good to be true, it probably is." People have been scamming others since the beginning of time. While the internet and new technology have been a good thing for the world, it's never been easier to scam others. 21st-century con artists have a wide variety of tools they can use to pull off their crimes without ever leaving their house. Hackers and scam artists can wreak havoc on large and small businesses.

8/8: More Social Media Resources for Employers


For additional resources about social media and how it can help your business, click the buttons below.