If you haven’t been searching for a job for a while, which can be the case for Americans with disabilities, you probably need to brush up on searching for a job using social media.

More and more, job recruiters are looking at an individual’s social media pages to check for any red flags, but they are always looking to get to know you better. Obviously, you want to make sure you are presenting your best self. You go through your social media page to make sure there is nothing there that could prevent you from finding a job.

“You have to look at this like you are branding yourself as a company does,” said Alan Hubbard, LandAjob Chief Operating Officer. “On social media, you want to present a professional image for recruiters to see.” 

First, remember, a picture is worth a thousand words. On your social media pages, you want a professional shot of yourself and not something from your uncle’s birthday.

“The photo of yourself and your other photos reveal a lot about you personally,” said Hubbard “A hiring manager is going to look at your pictures to get to know you better to make a decision on whether to interview you.  If you need suggestions on what you want it to look like, check out other professionals in your field. That will give you an indication of what to look like.”

It might be cute to use a nickname, like “Boomer,” but remember this is your personal brand. You want to use your real name so people can find you easily on your social media platform.

With all the social media platforms out there, you could spend a lot of time being on everything out there, but that’s not necessary. Basically, you will be fine by using a LinkedIn account, Twitter and Facebook.

“You want to research the best practices to use,” said Hubbard. “It is another case where looking at other professional pages can also be a big help.”

A personal website, featuring past work samples, and references, and your information can also be helpful in your job search. If you are looking for a job in a field where you have experience, creating a blog can also be a way to attract the attention of hiring managers. A tip is to click on the links and make sure they are working correctly. For a hiring manager, it can be frustrating to click on a link and have it broken.

For LinkedIn, make sure you are connecting with people you know through past jobs, networking, or any groups which focus on your job field.

“You need to have a game plan for LinkedIn,” said Hubbard. “It isn’t like Facebook or Twitter, where people are constantly checking the site. You need to have a regular schedule where you are reaching out and sharing information.”

Twitter should be approached differently than LinkedIn. You want to share articles considering issues in the field you want to work, make comments and reach out to leaders in your field. You want to actively share other people’s tweets.

LandAjob helps Americans with disabilities find employment in the United States with a free database of more than 600,000 jobs in the United States and shows individuals how they can receive up to $13,000 in job reimbursements and expenses. You can register for free at www.landajob.org.

“Hiring managers will be looking at whether you are on regularly on Twitter,” said Hubbard. “If you have not posted in a while, that could be a red flag to a hiring manager. They will also be looking to see if you are sharing other people’s articles. You don’t want your Twitter page to be all about you.

“You also want to be following companies you would like to work at and people who work there. This will be helpful to learn about what is happening there.”

On Facebook, one tip is to make sure your connections know that you are hunting for a new job. If you have Facebook connections in your field, sending a personal message can be effective. They might know of an opening at their company or know of an opening at another company. They might also be able to connect you with someone that can help you with getting your resume to the hiring manager.

“Your Facebook friends can be very valuable in working for you to get a job,” said Hubbard. “People like helping people get jobs. When you have a job, you want to make sure you are returning the favor for other job seekers.”

(LandAjob helps Americans with disabilities find employment in the United States with a free database of more than 600,000 jobs. By registering for free at www.landajob.org., you will also learn how you can receive up to $13,000 in job reimbursements and expenses.)