Instagram is known for posting pictures of delicious-looking food and childhood photos for #ThrowbackThursday. Instagrammers are known for throwing as many hashtags as they can on posts, including #Foodie or #TextsFromMom (just to name a few), to describe their photos and get new followers. Surprisingly to some, Instagram can also be used in the job hunt. By strategically posting photos and using a dream company’s promoted hashtags, job hunters can connect with others in their industry and build reputable personal brands. Below are the top six tips on how to use Instagram in the job search and as a personal brand builder.
1. Complete your Bio
Pick a few attributes that describe you that are related to your desired industry. Use keywords for search engine optimization (SEO). For instance, your bio could be Fashion Blogger|Cheer Coach|Tutor.
2. Have a Professional Profile Photo
Upload a professional profile photo just as you would for your LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest accounts as well.
3. Link Away
Link to other social networks such as your Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest and LinkedIn accounts and your personal website in your Instagram bio.
4. Network
Follow your dream career company and see which professionals are tagged in the company’s photos from events. You can then follow these folks on Twitter and retweet their posts or ask professional questions, such as advice for aspiring young professionals. After all, the point of social media is being social!
5. Post Relevant Pictures
Post pictures related to your dream career company. For example, if you want to do social media marketing for McDonald’s, give shouts outs to McDonald’s for that free iced coffee you got with a coupon and post a picture of the drink along with a related hashtag such as McDonald’s staple slogan #ImLovinIt. Keep that up and they’ll notice you.
6. Use Hashtags
Use your industry’s keywords as hashtags to describe and tag pictures you’ve posted. For example, if you just attended a conference about social media tactics you could upload a photo of the event and use the hashtags #socialmedia and #(NameofConference, or hashtag conference prefers you to use). This makes your content searchable and easier to find by others who attended the event and those in the industry, which could open the door for a connection with a seasoned professional at your dream career company. Hashtags also increase the life of your photo by making it appear higher in search results. You can always refresh your hashtags in a comment to have it resurface in search at a later date as well. Instagram doesn’t have a limit on hashtags, but please try to keep your posts readable by keeping them to a minimum!
Connect with me on Instagram: @ToriRTerhune. Do you have any other tips on how to use Instagram in the job search? Comment below!
*This another in my series of blog posts on using social networks to help your job search. If you have a network you would like included in the series, please let me know by commenting below!*
Tori Randolph Terhune 