Visualizing Your Career: Using Visual Social Media to Your Professional Advantage

By Alexis O'Connell

This week at the Career Center, I was tasked with purging the Dowling/ARC Library shelves of expired career advice books. Professional guides from the 1990s fail to cover a critical aspect of today’s job search – social media. However, the popularity of new, visually-focused platforms like Pinterest and Instagram may have you feeling a bit behind the times as well when it comes to your career goals. If you’re stumped about how to use these creative forums to display your talents, find compatible employers, and reach out to companies, here are some helpful image-sharing practices.

Gone are the days when visual-heavy platforms were reserved for those in artsy industries, like photographers, graphic designer, and marketing agents. The internet and its mobile counterparts have turned image-based media into a playing field for job seekers of all backgrounds; some argue that it has, in fact, become mandatory. (Click here to see 7 surprising industries on Pinterest.) While visual sharing remains more applicable to some fields, careerists with a wide variety of interests can benefit from having a virtual presence on this form of social media.

If you’ve been on Instagram lately, you’ve probably noticed that many companies are joining in on the photo sharing. (See who’s doing it best. ) The experts know better than anyone that disseminating photos and engaging followers on various tech mediums is a way to both establish and promote their business. You can

achieve similar marketing successes with the featured brand being you. No matter what your specialization is, there is much to be gained from presenting yourself and your work in an accessible and aesthetic manner.

Instagramming Pinterest: Social Media Inception

Showcasing your skills, interest, and work experience via social media visuals lets potential employers see multiple competencies at once. And if your desired position is in advertising, public relations, or branding, you’re required to speak fluent social media. What better way to demonstrate this than by displaying informative content of your own? On Pinterest, try making a virtual resume pinboard that includes images of past projects, work, and accomplishments. If you’re looking for something more mainstream, aim for an online resume or portfolio that captures the eye of your intended viewers. This online, visual display of your talent not only sets you apart – it makes your resume, in whatever form it takes, easy for employers to reach and read.

Wherever businesses are, job or internship seekers should be as well, and this means having a presence on visual-sharing platforms. The knowledge that some companies are recruiting on platforms like Instagram makes having a robust and professional profile especially appealing. Tech marking firm ePrize even used Instagram to give one employee an offer. Remember to follow some basic rules if you plan to involve your accounts with your career. First and foremost, commit to appropriate content only. Yes, this means sacrificing selfies and biting the bullet on posting your perfect keg stand. Luckily, Pinterest has done professional users a favor with their addition of secret pinboards. Further demonstrate that your sharing is thoughtful and deliberate by responding to activity on your forums: reply to comments and keep it spam-free. In the end, cross your fingers that potential employers won’t judge copious repinning of food and fashion!

If delivering content is not up your alley, don’t delete your Instagram account just yet.  The content that others pin or post can be just as helpful for finding employers that are worth pursuing. Companies often use their Pinterest and Instagram accounts to show the behind-the-scenes of office life (or lack thereof). Case in point: these pinboards by General Electric, Adobe, and Free People. If a picture is worth a thousand words, one glance might be enough to tell you whether or not you’d make a good fit. With employers filling their boards and streams with images of past projects and industry trends, a little snooping could offer some quality company insight.

If you know enough about the industry but could use some general job search or career pointers, get them delivered right to your computer with a bit of social media savvy. This Mashable article outlines 7 Pinboards to follow for your career. Consider starting your own pinboard of career advice and development (a “jobspiration” board, if you will) to stay motivated through cover letter writing or long workdays.

Still not convinced that Pinterest, Instagram, and other image-sharing social media differ from other mediums? Ponder this: companies are realizing that photo-based interactions invoke different emotions and seek different ends than average information dissemination. Instagram, for example, is a snap-on-the-go app, meaning that even top-tier, multi-million dollar employers are capturing everyday moments like the rest of us. They’re using visuals to tell the story of a company and its employees, personality, and philosophy. This exposure is the perfect opportunity to see, and prove, where you fit into their picture.