Why Social Networks Are Crucial to Getting Recruited

Jobvite, a recruitment platform for the social Web, revealed in its 2012 Social Recruiting Survey that an increasing number of employers are using social networking as a vehicle to recruit candidates. In fact, 73% of employers said they hired a candidate through social media in 2012, compared with 63% in 2011.

This revealing survey shows just how important it is for job seekers to showcase their talents on the Internet. With nearly three-fourths of top employers seeking talent online, not promoting your skills via the Web could make it more challenging to find the job you're looking for.

So how can you get started online? Here are some tips to get you started:

Set Up a LinkedIn Profile

LinkedIn has quickly become a prime social networking site for locating great employers, and getting noticed by recruiters and employers hoping to find someone with top talent to work for their firms. LinkedIn is also a great place to network with individuals within your profession who are looking for work, or may be able to share leads with you. Setting up a profile allows you to post your resume and garner recommendations from coworkers, clients, and previous bosses. It's a site you don't want to pass up if you hope to win the attention of a prospective employer.

Create a Professional Facebook Profile

Another social network that gets a lot of attention from employers is Facebook. According to the Jobvite survey, 66% of employers use Facebook to recruit and hire candidates. Since Facebook is known more for its social aspects—characteristically focusing less on professionalism—it's up to you to set up a profile that zeroes in on your professional talents.

Sign up for a Twitter Account

It's also a great idea to take advantage of the many professional benefits of Twitter, which include opportunities to promote your qualifications and share your resume and social networking profiles in your tweets. What's great about this site is that you can completely brand yourself in just a few words. By writing a short, professional bio, adding a strong headshot, and tweeting about various aspects of your industry, you can develop a professional presence that is easy to find in search engines and helps define you as a qualified candidate in your field.

No one can deny the importance of social networking when seeking employment. Most employers already have a presence on these sites—and so should you. Take time set up free accounts, and begin developing your profiles to make the most of what these sites have to offer.