The Secret Weapon Missing From Your CV: Your Social Media Participation
Whether or not we want to admit it, virtually all of us use social media. Are you the victim of a never-ending Instagram feed, lost in a stream of LinkedIn posts, or checking constantly for tweets from your favorite influencers? As humans, we often look for ways to feel connected, and social media provides just that.
Apps such as Facebook help us keep in touch with family and friends (and people we’ve never met in the real world), gives us instant access to news, and let’s us present our personal or company image however we choose.
What if you invested time in using social media to network with health groups?
Social media can be a great job hunting source. Below are 5 ways you can use (and abuse 🙂 your presence on social media as you reach out to health groups and hospitals.
Create the best image of yourself
One of the top appeals of social media is being able to create and control one’s identity. The ability to sculpt a persona is a huge factor in why people use social media—and it can be an important step in showing health groups who you are as a physician and as a person.
It’s safe to say that interested recruiters are going to look you up online. Use it as an opportunity to show your personality and opinions. Be sure to keep things professional while showing genuine ways that you prioritize family, friends, and health. Communicate that you’re someone who can be reliable and trustworthy.
Become an online thought leader
Recruiters like to hire physicians who bring something of value to the table, especially in such a rapidly evolving field as medicine. You won’t regret showing that you’re in the know on social media on what’s happening in the industry by sharing your thoughts and joining in informed discussions.
Becoming a thought leader means providing followers with interesting and thought-provoking news and research, creating an online presence that can knock the socks off a potential employer.
Thought leadership lets you take your practice off the examination table and into the real world, connecting patients and colleagues with vital information, even when they aren’t seeing you for a check-up or a meeting.
Don’t, however, mindlessly dump content on your feed. That tends to be noticed and will reflect poorly on you. Post with purpose by sharing information at times that will reach the most people, discuss topics that you care about, and interact with others through your well considered comments.
Network with like-minded people
Find like-minded people with whom to network. This isn’t an invitation to reconnect with your old high school crush, but rather to work over time to build mutually beneficial professional relationships. Find thought leaders who can provide you with valuable industry information. Connect with people who care about a specialty you’re interested in, or ask fellow medical professionals about their thoughts on a new drug or procedure.
Try connecting with prospective employers such as recruiters and hospitals. Do a little social media sleuthing to find content you can use as valuable talking points in an interview.
Research to learn more about a potential employer
Social media is not a one-way street. While a physician recruiter can use social media to find out more about you, at the same time you can find out more about them—perhaps even something that they wouldn’t want you to see.
“On Facebook, for example,” says Carisa Miklusak, CEO of tilr.com, “a job seeker may be able to read about an organization on the Info tab, see pictures of a recent team outing to get a feel for the culture, and follow recent conversations between customers and the brand or employees and the brand–all critical factors in making a decision.”
Social networking lets you dig down to see things a company may not intend for you to see,” says Miklusak. Candidates should use these tools to pre-interview companies and determine if they are a true fit.”
Try to stay digitally “dirt free”
Don’t let your social media content be detrimental to your job search. While you will want to express yourself, keep in mind that certain posts could be perceived by recruiters and employers in a negative light.
Medicine is a serious career and recruiters want to see candidates who are level headed. Ideally, no one should judge you for what you do in your personal life, but once you put it up on social media, it’s out there for all to see. Consider keeping those crazy pictures from Friday night tucked away on your phone and hold back on those controversial political views.
As a physician looking for a job, social media can be yet another helpful tool. Knowing how to market yourself can give you an edge as you compete for jobs.
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