After 17 years of classes, homework, and all-nighters, it was finally time for us to be released into the real world. Not knowing what to expect, we, the CM Experience Distribution interns, were terrified about the prospect of not being able to find a job in this economy. Although our friendship only blossomed at the beginning of this internship, we both took similar paths to finding our dream internship here at CM. The path was social media. There have been a lot of great articles cropping up on just this topic, but we thought we’d share our firsthand experiences… and success!
As college students, social media quickly became a large part of our day-to-day lives. Whether it was posting pictures, chatting with friends, or updating tweets every hour; social media became an outlet we could not live without (and sometimes took precedent over homework and studying). After graduating last month, we were instantly faced with the overwhelming task of finding a job, not just any job, but one that would excite us and tie to our interests.
This was no easy task, but through websites like LinkedIn and Facebook, our opportunities became more apparent. We were able to connect with employees at CM and understand the culture of a digital marketing agency. While this may seem like a novel idea, many of our classmates and peers continue to search for jobs the same way. This method of finding jobs through social media is a growing trend at many colleges.
One may wonder exactly how a job manifests from the ever-changing world of social media. We, however, are proof that it is possible. While one of us found a connection through LinkedIn, and learned about an open internship opportunity, the other found CM’s Facebook page and automatically fell in love with the office’s apparent culture (avoid passive voice).
Linking In to a Future Job
Throughout senior year of college, people had recommended joining the LinkedIn community. After plenty of invitations to join the networking site, Lauren decided to take the plunge. With consistent messaging and persistent connecting, Lauren finally found her way to an employee at Critical Mass who helped push her in the right direction. This connection opened up the door to a stellar internship. With sites dedicated to business networking, more and more people are able to find jobs through social networking, like Lauren.
Finding the Right Fit through Facebook
For those not looking to join a business networking site, it is possible to search for jobs through the ever popular Facebook. Alyssa found her link to Critical Mass through her Facebook account. After landing an interview with CM, she wanted to find out more about the company and its culture. She checked out their Facebook page and found all the commonalities she had with CM. Facebook is a fantastic way for companies to showcase their cultures and a more personal side of the office. It also allows potential employees to decide whether they would be a good fit.
Tweeting Your Way to a Job
We were not the only ones at CM who were following this trend. Our fellow CM intern (and now full time employee! Talk about a success story.), Johnny Schroepfer, also found his position here through social media. An avid Twitter user, Johnny connected with advertising and marketing agencies like CM and networked his way to a job. With more and more companies developing a stronger social media presence, it is becoming easier for them to find potential employees, while also making it easier for job-seekers.
Since 85% of all jobs are acquired through networking, expanding this idea to the world of social media opens up doors for everyone involved. In fact, according to a New York Times article, many employers have stopped looking at social media as a threat and have started to see its benefits to finding potential employees. In addition to employers getting on board, many websites have been created for job-finding purposes. Websites like Zumeo.com and InternshipRatings.com have been specifically created in order to push this trend further into motion.
As this trend continues, pay attention to social media that is relevant to you and become an active member in the community. Whether you become a part of the LinkedIn or Twitter communities, or choose a different social media, keep in mind the endless possibilities that these sites have to offer. We are now more thankful than ever for our social media obsessions. After all, it landed us these sweet internships at CM.
Alyssa is a Social Media Intern and Lauren is a Paid Media intern. Both work out of the Chicago office.
