Public accounting giant PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) was the last of the Big Four to use social media for recruiting. However, now that they have jumped on the bandwagon it seems there is no stopping them. In fact, they plan on recruiting close to 5,500 undergraduates and graduate students by June 2011, for internships and full-time jobs. That's up from 4,600 in 2010.
To do this PwC is partnering with popular career-networking social media site Linkedin. A recent Wall Street Journal article, “PwC Pays for Priority: New Recruiting Tool for College Students Gives Accounting Firm Top Billing,” indicates that PwC and Linkedin have created a new tool for college students to find relevant job openings based on jobs that similar LinkedIn users pursued. The feature, called Career Explorer, is currently only available to students at 60 colleges. They are colleges that PwC chose and include New York University, Michigan State
Business-Oriented Social Media Important to Job Search
This joining of PwC and Linkedin is just further proof of how important business-oriented social media has become for employers and job seekers. And that doesn’t just mean Linkedin. There are other business-oriented social networking sites as well.
Consider Biznik, a great-looking website broken into metro areas (like LA, SF and NY) and filled with interesting articles, news of business events and requests for assistance where members can post their needs or offer suggestions to other members.
However, for those who merely want to market a business or themselves, then Fast Pitch might be a better choice. With its simple, straightforward purpose of sharing referrals and building relationships, Fast Pitch is all about networking and only networking.
Plus there are other business-oriented social media sites such as Ryze, Networking for Professionals and Ecademy.
Mastering Business-Oriented Social Media Usage
Whether someone is a business owner, entrepreneur, job seeker or goes by another moniker, there are definite guidelines on how to make the best use of social media for job hunting and networking.
First, users should visit the various social media websites and investigate what they offer to determine if it is right for their needs. Keep in mind the amount of time that will be required to make membership worthwhile. If users are not into reading articles, answering questions, attending events and so on, then consider if the social media site is the best choice.
Next, all social media websites require a profile. When creating profile, members should remember to fill out the information as completely as possible and to keep it regularly updated. The purpose is to draw viewers, so make sure it has a professional look. Remember: business-oriented is different than social-oriented.
Next, fully utilize the services each site offers. With Linkedin, for instance, members can post and answer questions. Offering helpful tips and information by answering questions posted by other members is a great way to stand out as an expert and develop new relationships. For job seekers this provides them with an avenue for demonstrating their skills and possibly finding a new employer.
Finally, job seekers need to be proactive with their job search. That includes letting people know they are looking as well as reviewing the profiles of companies and other members to get a sense of where there might be a fit.
Whether job seekers, business professionals or entrepreneurs use Linkedin or Facebook to network or find a new career, there are a myriad of websites designed to bring people together. Job seekers just need to take the time to learn how to use business-oriented social media for their job search.
Deborah S. Hildebrand - Deborah S. Hildebrand is a freelance writer & HR consultant with 20+ years in human resources & a Bachelor's degree in Business.
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