Social resume gaining traction

Lata Jain

A company which turned down a student's application for work experience over a foul-mouthed tweet has issued a sort of warning to other job applicants. The HR wrote to the candidate: We are sorry we are turning down your request because although your letter and CV were acceptable, your attitude to your school and life in general on Twitter is inappropriate

But that doesn't only mean thinking twice about photos you post and links you share. The term 'social resume' is beginning to gain traction, and refers to digital enhancements to the traditional paper or PDF curriculum vitae. Linked In is likely the first social-resume tool that comes to mind, but other sites such as Twitter, Face book and Tumbler can be just as helpful. There are also services such as Résumé Social, Visuals and Résumé that offer more options for job seekers.

What can a social resume offer that the old variety can't? Links to past work, enhanced networking opportunities and instant feedback from recruiters and other job seekers, for starters.Truth is that there is no silver bullet for social media but there are some best practices help you get there. Things like listening on social media, engagement and providing useful resources and insights while targeting your audience with hash tags on Twitter and keywords are just a few of the essential pieces to the puzzle for employers, HR, and recruiting online.

Social media is an incredibly useful tool in a jobseeker's armory. Facebook, Twitter and Linked In can be used to create valuable links with potential employers, join in conversations, develop your knowledge, get industry insights, develop your commercial awareness and even find out about live job opportunities.

Linkedln: Specially created for professional networking Resume social. com. Visual.com: Create and share a video resume. Take advantage of a job posting aggregator. Typepad, Tumbler, word press: Quickly create and share blog. Razume.com, Ziggs. com: Build a social resume and list in professional directories. Social networking is growing in popularity with employers and job seekers. To make a positive impression with employers through your social media accounts, you should:

• Think before you post�don't post negative comments about current or former employers
• Clean up your accountsA��remove potentially embarrassing or offensive content, including inappropriate images.
• Change your privacy settingsA�A�A��change your privacy settings to hide certain content from work colleagues
• Respect your employer's social media policy�many employers have a 'no social networks allowed' policy while at work.

Posting your social resume for a quick link is a good idea but due care is a must.