Everybody knows that competition for entry level jobs in publishing is fierce and it can be hard to stand out from a crowd of applicants.
Online networks can be a strategic advantage in your job search when they are used to find out who publishers want to hire and what type of skills they are missing. They are also essential in marketing yourself and what you have to offer employers by generating, adapting and sharing content.
Luckily, managing content is what publishers and media people do best and there is a wealth of advice out there. Here is my round up of the best blogs on how to use social media to build the platform and connections that will help you get a job.
http://www.bookcareers.com/how-to-use-twitter-to-find-a-publishing-job/
This is the best, most all round guide to publishing job seeking on Twitter available on the web. In it Suzanne Collier tells you when and what to tweet; offers advice on who to follow and what lists to get involved with and how to set up your account to optimise your job search. She even offers her help on Twitter for those actively looking for publishing jobs.
http://www.kateblackham.co.uk/work/how-not-to-get-a-job-in-publishing
In this blog Kate Blackham satirises the worst mistakes publishing job seekers can make from not being involved on social media to not getting any relevant experience. She also mentions the importance of being focussed in all your interactions with employers on why you want to work in publishing – and not just because you love books – and tailoring your content with impeccable grammar and spelling.
http://www.forbes.com/sites/trudysteinfeld/2013/11/04/social-media-must-have-strategies-in-your-job-search/
This article is more general but definitely of use to potential publishers. Forbes rounds up the best advice from the Direct Employers conference on what they look for from job applications on social media. It features the usual tips such as making sure all your profiles are clean and present you in your best light and using hash tags on Twitter to find the latest jobs. It also takes a look at how you can use interesting and relevant content to gain a following on social media that can help you to build useful connections.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/universityeducation/student-life/10010861/How-to-find-a-graduate-job-using-social-media.html
We all know that publishing entry level roles are now graduate jobs but most students don’t start to think about a publishing career until fairly late in their degrees. They may miss out on opportunities to build up their skills and online presence and get ahead of the competition before they graduate. The Telegraph takes you through creating an excellent social media persona from a professional linked in page to leveraging the social power of the site’s groups. The statistic cited that 90% of recruiters are using social media to filter potential candidates emphasises how important it is to be active on these sites.
Honourable mentions:
These articles give evidence as to how social media profiles that show you in an unfavourable light can put off employers as well as the best ways to get hired such as getting personal referrals. They also give tips on networking and engaging online and setting up an online CV or portfolio.
http://mashable.com/2012/09/01/social-profiles-job/
http://socialmediatoday.com/lilachbullock/1655511/how-use-social-media-find-job
Take Action:
Be active on all the major social media platforms
Present yourself in a professional and positive light (not badmouthing previous employers!)
Generate content that is of value to your community to get the attention of employers
Join in the conversations happening around developments in publishing
notesfromapublishingma 