- Find the right groups with keywords that are most relevant to your industry
- Prefer local groups so that you can develop city-based professional networks
- Introduce yourself by posting a message about you and what you’re looking for.
- Don’t lurk in a Facebook group.
- Don’t spam. Post links that show you to be someone who is genuinely interested in the profession.
Facebook groups are perfect for niche hiring
When Bengaluru-based Vishwadeep Gautam joined industry-specific Facebook groups, he was not specifically looking for a job. “My primary goal was to find people from my industry to exchange ideas with,” says the 25-year-old data analyst.
What attracted him to Facebook groups was that it gave him freedom to choose groups specific to his area of interest—data analysis. “The groups were a gold mine of current trends so I could update myself, learn more and understand what kind of development I can expect in the future in my field of work,” he says.
An additional opportunity that the groups offered was job postings. On one of the groups Gautam was part of, Indegene, a healthcare tech company based in Bengaluru, posted a job requirement for a data analyst. He already knew about the company since it had been active on the groups he was in. “I saw it, found it interesting, and applied,” says Gautam.
There are jobs on the largest network
With 2.27 billion monthly active users, Facebook is the largest social network on the planet. LinkedIn, the straightforward professional networking site, has 260 million active users in comparison.
“Attracting talent from social media is an integral part of our recruitment strategy,” says Bina Patil, vice president (human resources) at Indegene, the company that hired Gautam. Patil and her team are present and constantly on the lookout on all company social media platforms—LinkedIn, Facebook, GitHub, even WhatsApp.
Find the right groups
Keyword search is the first step. Once you find groups relevant to your industry, look at their members’ list. Scan the group page (if they’re public) to see if you find the posts, the comments and the type of interactions on it relevant and useful. Leave the ones that seem abandoned or defunct, or the ones which are fluxed with self-promotion posts or advertisements. Your ideal group is the one which has a supportive community that you can grow with.
Prefer local
Though global professional groups can be good for latest development in your profession, it’s the local, city-based groups that will solidify your network and offer you prospective jobs.
Introduce yourself
Post a message that tells people about your experience and what you’re looking for from the group. Be honest and humble. Comment on a few other recent posts to show you’re committed to the group.
Don’t lurk
It’s a good thing that you’re here to learn, but also contribute. Don’t sit around and watch people interact. Actively engage, contribute links for professional growth and converse with people through comments. Some of them might lead to longer conversations on Facebook Messenger and a possible coffee.
Post interesting links, not spam
A group is a great way of meeting new people in your profession and these online connections might be useful in future. However, stay away for self-bragging. Won an internal appreciation award? Keep it to yourself. The group is for a particular purpose – to discuss and exchange ideas about your profession. Respect that boundary and steer away from self-promo posts.
Keep it professional
Always remember to be polite, politically correct and engage. The people you are interacting with here might be future colleagues. Don’t engage in shouting matches or arguments in comments. If you disagree, take it on Facebook Messenger to discuss.
Read the complete article online at Livemint.com