5 Lessons in Social Job Searching from Social Sales Experts

5 Lessons in Social Job Searching from Social Sales Experts5 Lessons in Social Job Searching from Social Sales Experts2What do job searchers like you have in common with sales professionals? Youre selling something yourself, which means social job searching is a huge skill to possess.And just like modern sales teams, youre no longer selling yourself just in emails and cover letters or in-person meetings and interviews. Consumers are now researching buying decisions online, and likewise, 93 percent of recruiters now screen candidates on social media.But using social media to sell yourself goes far beyond simply creating a professional brand online and building connections on LinkedIn, according to Join the Social Sales Revolution, the newesteBook from collaboration software and services provider PGi.Here are five lessons from the eBooks top social sales experts to drive your social job searching platformDevelop your professional brand with thought leadership.Heres the catch-22 of sell ing yourself online everyones there. Recruiters are on social media, which means your competition is, too. So to stand out, you need to create thought leadership that keeps your personal brand fresh and in front of eyes. Thought leadership can take a lot of forms- personal and guest blog posts, SlideShare presentations, short Vimeo videos- or it can be as simple as sharing the best curated news on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn.Leverage the right tools to manage relationships.Sales teams are finally starting to realize the true relationship-building value of CRM tools, and job seekers can follow suit, too. Because online job seekers come across so many contacts- recruiters, influencers, connectors- its difficult to quickly remember every job title, conversation, or note when you need it. Start collecting all of this information in an old-fashioned spreadsheet or personal relationship management tool, and install an extension like Discover.ly to instantly unearth social connections .Dont search for jobs in a silo.Even the lone wolf sales professional is starting to embrace collaboration and teamwork, and you should, too. Your online network is a valuable asset for introductions to warm leads, job referrals, insights into company cultures, and even motivation and job advice. But to expand that network, you also must participate in online communities share and create content, start group discussions and like or comment on others content.Put a voice to your social profiles with video.Conveying authenticity and earning trust from behind a screen is the next big obstacle for anyone selling online. So modern sales professionals use video to foster trust and educate buyers. Job seekers, take note. Professional, strategic thought leadership videos or video resumes could be your ticket to landing interviews. In fact, a 2015 study shows that job candidates appear more anspruchsvoll and thoughtful when evaluators hear their voices instead of just reading their pitches.Be brave enough to try something new.Someone out there had to be the first salesperson to close a deal thanks to a Tweet, Top Sales World CEO Jonathan Farrington said in PGis eBook. And someone had to be the first job seeker to target employers with social ads, conduct real-time job searches on Twitter, post a creative video resume online, or use Pinterest as a visual resume. The thing that makes you stand out online might be something no one else has ever done. Its up to you to be brave enough to blaze that trail.Just getting started with the basics of social job searching? Here are five solid social media tips for job seekers.Readers, do you enjoy social job searching or is it something you are actively improving on? What do you or dont you enjoy about the process? Share with us belowAshley Speagle lives in Atlanta and works as a communications specialist forPGi, a leading global provider of collaboration software and services for over 20 years. PGi is constantly innovating, develop ing new technologies to make virtual meetings easier and more productive than ever before. Learn more at PGis blog, The Future of Business Collaboration.