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New Facebook Features Allow Job Seekers to Get Creative

October 04, 2011 by Careerminds

Jennifer Fry
Careerminds Consultant

 

There has been a lot of talk about the “new Facebook” since CEO Mark Zuckerberg first unveiled its features at the F8 Conference on September 22nd, and whether or not you’re happy about the changes, you should consider how they might contribute to your job search. It’s been said time and again that social media tools can be invaluable on the job hunt, so it should come as no surprise that, as social media platforms change and develop, so too should the job seeker’s use of them.

Additionally, job seekers are often encouraged to get creative and think outside the box in order to stand out from the pack, and we at Careerminds certainly endorse this tactic.

In a time when the job market is so over-saturated with potential employees, it may be more important to stand out than it ever was, but identifying yourself as an individual with unique skills and experience is a good idea regardless of the economy or job market; you need to show your employer that you and only you are the right person for the position, and what better way to do that than to display your individuality?

Two of the major features of the new Facebook are the Timeline and Cover Photo, both of which offer you the opportunity to show off your unique qualities in a new way, so let’s take a moment to investigate each one.

Timeline

Though not available yet, this new feature will eventually be offered to all users, and follows the overarching theme of the new Facebook: storytelling. The new profile format is intended to present a user’s personal story, showcasing daily updates as well as major achievements, providing a grand representation of the user’s life. It is even possible to retrospectively add events to the timeline, since Facebook hasn’t been around for all of your life’s achievements.

And how does a job seeker tailor this tool to his/her advantage, you ask? This timeline, this story is your personal brand. The feature is customizable, so use it to highlight the events that best represent you as a person and a desirable employee. A resume is a timeline of your professional experience, and now your profile can act as an extension of that, providing further detail into your non-professional experience that still makes you who you are: the right person for the job.

 

Cover Photo

Last week, Corn on the Job’s Rich DeMatteo featured an article on this new profile component– check out our most recent CareerCompile for the link!– so let’s just take a second to touch on the finer points of the cover photo for job seekers.

This is your opportunity to craft a visual representation of yourself through more than just your profile photo, and while a picture of your family or your pets or that great landscape shot you took on vacation can represent you accurately, think of the options you have to really get creative.

Use the cover photo to display an infographic-style resume. Infographics are an interesting way of presenting information visually, often making use of graphs and charts as well as other images. Think of how eye-catching your resume could be in infographic form, and think about how many other infographic resumes a potential employer sees from day to day– probably not very many!

You may also consider using your cover photo to display links to your other profiles or your e-portfolio in a visually compelling way. Keep your online presence cohesive and available in full– your LinkedIn profile, your Twitter profile, your blog (assuming they are appropriate, of course) all in reach of potential employers.

With the new advances in social media, it is important to consider its role in your job search. Make your profile an extension of your resume and show employers that you’re the one-of-a-kind employee they couldn’t find anywhere else.

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Careerminds provides scalable, strategic solutions to organizations seeking affordable, web-based outplacement services. Using a Web 2.0 e-learning platform that delivers affordable, online career transition services, Careerminds provides a high-tech and high-touch blend of on-demand career transition education supported by senior-level career consultants to help displaced workers reenter the workforce quickly.

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