Social Media at the

Careers Service

Steve McCarthy

& Pamela Hafekost

Social media strategy

• Market our services to our key users

• Support Careers Service staff to use social media

effectively

• Educate and assist our users to use social media in

their career planning

Educate and assist our users

Delivered in a number of ways

• Our Careers Service website plus handouts

• General and departmental workshops

• One to one support to students within the Careers

Service

• Delivery of MOOCs• How to Succeed at: Writing Applications

• How to Succeed at: Interviews

Find it on our YouTube or at:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hq8itXJWZkY

Resources

available from our

library and website.

General and departmental

workshops• Currently running 2 workshops: ‘Personal branding

and social media’, ‘Creating a Linkedin Profile’

• Run both centrally and for individual departments

• We have seen an

improvement in social media

use from students.

• Many students are still

unfamiliar with Linkedin.

• Workshops introduce the

service, how to set up a

profile.

• Second workshop teaches

how to use groups, find

people, research

companies, search for jobs.

• Planning to further develop

the programme with a

“Personal branding”

workshop next year.

What we cover in these workshops

• Guidelines on setting up profiles.

• Application processes are changing – works in 2

ways.

• While jobseekers are searching for jobs online,

recruiters are searching for applicants, jobs are

offered through networks.

• Increased visibility = more opportunities.

Personal Branding & Social media

• About identifying your own brand/USP

• Use these to structure profiles and build a network

• Expressing individuality to stand out from other

applicants, but also to make students more visible

to headhunting recruiters

• Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin – what else?

Linkedin

• Sometimes split into 2: Getting started/advanced

• Build a professional profile

• Make connections

• Explore groups, follow companies and influencers

• Analyse and apply for jobs

Departmental workshops

• BMS227 – credited module focusing on social

media and Linkedin supported by the Careers

Service.

• Also running independent workshops within

departments and faculties.

• Considering putting together Linkedin support

workshops for staff.

One to one support

• Students come in to the Careers Service so that we

can review their Linkedin profile – rather like a CV

review

MOOCs – Massive Open Online

CoursesHow to Succeed at: Writing Applications includes a

section on how to improve your digital footprint

Use Johnny Jobhunter and Eddie Employable as

examples to demonstrate what to do and what not to

do on Facebook and Linkedin

Develop your professional profile on Linkedin

MOOCs – Massive Open Online

CoursesOver 40,000 learners have signed up – it doesn’t

translate into active learners but it’s still a significant

number

Comments from learners on these stepsThe video is excellent! The information and tips are really important and useful. Thanks to all the team!

Mmm, some excellent advice. Next time I see another Upworthy article/video, I'll bear in mind I'm potentially

splattering my big foot across the cyber void.

Thanks guys made me sign up with Linkedin

I have a profile on Linkedin but use it very little. I now realise I should update it and use it more.

Didn’t realise Linkedin is an online CV – thanks for this information

Any questions?

Thanks for listening