Be Vigilant About Your Social Media Communication Style
LinkedIn is indeed an amazing tool and one you should leverage to the fullest if you’re conducting a search. You must be vigilant about how you present yourself, however, as you are judged at every point of contact. Here are two exchanges I had while searching for an entry-level tech support person. Their replies are so very different.
This is my note with the invite to connect (initial messages are limited to 300 characters so brevity is a must).
Hi ____
I'm a recruiter and found your profile on L/I while searching for a Tech Support Specialist for an awesome high-tech division of a global company, and just wanted to see if we might connect.
Much obliged to you for your time!
Cheers
Jane
Prospective Job Seeker #1
The reply: “Starting Pay”
My note back: Hi ____, thank you so much for accepting the invite to connect; it’s a pleasure to meet you. The salary is ____ for this entry level role.
Cheers
Jane
The Reply: “Send me info”
Prospective Job Seeker #2
The reply: “Hi Jane, thank you for your note and I’d really like to hear about the opportunity! Would you have time to talk this week?”
Prospect #1 came across as brusque and opportunistic—not good characteristics for my client’s team—so I exited politely from that conversation. Prospect #2 was polished, polite, and engaged, and demonstrated a high level of professionalism from the very start, and moved forward in the process. For my future reference, I made notes about each prospective job seeker’s communication style.
The bottom line? Be careful how you reply on any social media platform because not only are you judged at that moment in time, the recruiting or hiring manager will make a note of your level of professionalism—or the lack thereof—and will keep that note in perpetuity.
Stories from the trenches…
The job description listed on a LinkedIn profile: “Help deliver UPS packages to specific locations in the mall. Listen to the drivers complain about how slow orders are taking.”