6 Tips for Using Pinterest and LinkedIn to Find a Job - CareerEnlightenment.com

4. Network With CompaniesAs of  June 2013, there were 3 million LinkedIn business pages, and as of  July 2013, there were 500,000 Pinterest business pages. Those numbers continue to grow, so go where the businesses are. If you have a list of dream companies to work for, look them up on Pinterest and LinkedIn. Follow them, and then interact with them.Heres the thing about business accounts: theyre run by actual people. If youre engaged with the content theyre creating, commenting, asking questions, and offering ideas when appropriate, the person behind the companys postings will start to remember you. After developing a relationship, you can ask about positions, or even offer your services as an employee. It might not always go exactly as hoped, but nothing ventured, nothing gained.5. Network With RecruitersJust as businesses are connected through LinkedIn and Pinterest, so are recruiters and employment agencies. Connect with them and develop relationships, and pay close attention to the job listings they share through their profiles. As shown on  Social Media Today, roughly 48% of recruiters post position openings to LinkedIn and nowhere else, so by developing relationships with the recruiters before the jobs are posted, youre putting yourself in a good position to land a job interview and quite possibly the job.6. Engage FrequentlyIf youre not staying in the forefront of your audiences mind (and you do need to think of potential employers and recruiters as your audience), youre going to be forgotten. While you dont want to become an annoyance, engaging frequently through Pinterest and LinkedIn is important. Share content, update your status, and on Pinterest, add images to your job-specific boards. You dont always need to engage directly with the businesses or recruiters you want to work with, but you  do  need to be present, adding value to your profile and demonstrating your knowledge and understanding of your field of expertise.ConclusionAs businesses shif t their focuses to social media and online strategies, they will continue to shift their job searches to these same platforms. In 2012, 73% of all recruiters used social media to fill a position (a 15% increase from 2011), so if you want to land a job, you need to engage through social outlets. Think creatively, share your work visually, and always look for ways to stand out from the crowd.Have you used social media for your job search? Did it work?Laura Williams is an online contributor and business owner who writes about small business tactics and career development.