Use Social to Your Advantage

 

       I'm taking a different direction with this post and talking about something more personal as opposed to what the latest news is. I'm currently in the process of applying and interviewing for internships for this upcoming summer. I am exploring many marketing opportunities ranging from insurance to ad agencies to healthcare systems. However, through all of these different career routes I have found one thing in common. When preparing for an interview I instinctively find myself researching all social media accounts for a company. I obviously visit the company's website; however, I have found you are more likely to get a feel for a company's work environment through a Facebook page, a Twitter account, or an Instagram. For example, I am traveling to Atlanta this Thursday for an internship open house with an ad agency. I already knew the agency's internship is supposed to be one of the best, but when I looked further into their social media accounts I realized this is the internship that I want most. I was able to get a feel for the agency in greater depth than through their website, and see that they have a lot of fun while working. Because of this research into their social accounts, I am extremely motivated to stand out in this open house, probably more so than if I had not researched their social accounts. The social media aspect is also used by employers when accepting applications for internships. Several companies have included a link to add your Facebook page and Linkedin at the bottom of the application. This allows employers to do further research on you as a potential candidate for their internship.
        Lastly, I would like to discuss an instance at my job in which social media made a presence. I am a part-time sales associate at Pier 1 Imports and we are currently interviewing people for two open positions. Yesterday during my shifts two people were interviewed by our General Manager. When the first girl came in and went back to the office, the sales leader on duty began explaining how he and my assistant manager had looked her up on Facebook and checked out her page. Social media is increasingly becoming more significant when job searching; so I would suggest everyone take advantage of looking into potential employer's accounts, and scan your current accounts to be sure they are safe for employers to view.