- Creative professionals are using Instagram’s visual storytelling to showcase their work and get a job
- According to Statista, Instagram has 71 million monthly active users in India.
- Be professional on Instagram
- Rewrite that bio
- Create a visual resume
- Build your network
- Send positive messages to brands
Always be on the lookout
It’s on Instagram that Achin Bhattacharya, CEO and founder of Notebook, an edtech startup based in Kolkata found Debangshu Moulik, a Pune-based graphic artist. Impressed by his credentials, his Instagram portfolio and the fact that he had 41,300 followers on the social media platform, Bhattacharya’s team hired him.
For 19-year-old Moulik, who is still in college, Instagram has been a good place to showcase his art. He joined the platform in July 2012 as a teenager and after six years on the network, has more than 40,000 followers. Recently, he showcased his graphic art, and as a result, has received few projects through the network.
“It is a norm for artists like me to use Instagram as an instant portfolio,” Moulik says, adding that for most visual creative professionals, the platform is a perfect place to put out “free advertisements” of their work. “Clients approach us based on both the quality of the work as well as our social media influence status. I am fortunate to live in a time when anyone has the tools to showcase their work,” he says.
Always be professional
The first rule when you’re looking for a job through the social network is to post professionally only. That would mean no selfies or drunken party pictures. It’s best to separate the personal and professional accounts.
Rewrite that bio
Those two lines and a link in your bio is all you’re allowed on Instagram. Make the most of it by concisely writing what you do, your skills and interests and that you’re open to projects or searching for a job. Add a link that opens to your portfolio, website, online resume or LinkedIn.
Create a visual resume
Build the account on stories and posts that are relevant for your career. Latest thoughts, motivational quotes, advice from experts, videos demonstrating your work, photos of you working, or attending conferences and events relevant for your career. Remember, a photo speaks a thousand words.
Build your network
Who you follow is as important as the content you post. Find out who is in your industry matters the most, follow people and companies you want to potentially get hired by, post, interact, exchange and wait for an opening.
Send messages
Don’t be afraid to be proactive and seek a potential job opening in a company of your choice. Ask for an informational interview or request to be put in touch with the HR team or hiring manager.
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