Networking in 2025: Leveraging Social Media for Career Growth

Networking in 2025: Leveraging Social Media for Career Growth

Networking used to mean standing around awkwardly, making small talk with people who might one day be able to do you a favour. Fortunately, the advent of social media has transformed this process. Now, it's easy to 'like,' 'follow,' and connect with influential people in ways never before thought possible, allowing you to seek guidance, advice, and inspiration from a global network.

Maximising Opportunities with Recruiters

Job-seekers should leverage social media to approach recruiters and add them to their networks. Most recruiters will accept these requests, as it helps expand their pool of prospective talent. This connection allows you to send direct messages to recruiters for more information about roles and may even provide insider information about potential employers. This is a valuable opportunity that should not be overlooked.

Increased Exposure to Vacancies

With almost all recruiters and 39% of employers utilising social media for hiring, candidates conducting job searches through these platforms will be presented with more vacancies. Sharing roles on Facebook, tweeting from websites, or posting on LinkedIn means you will see a greater number of job advertisements—especially if you 'follow' your favourite recruiters. Social media also offers streamlined search options, such as lists on Twitter or the 'jobs' tab on LinkedIn, increasing your chances of progressing to the next stage.

Accessing the Hidden Job Market

It's worth noting that not all jobs are advertised on social media. Research indicates that around 70% of jobs are never advertised publicly and are often filled through word-of-mouth, especially high-profile positions. To tap into this hidden job market, use social media to build a valuable network of contacts, participate in forums, and contribute to group conversations. These actions increase your visibility, demonstrate your strengths, and allow recruiters and employers to identify you as a potential candidate. Often, it’s about who you know.

Being Discovered by Recruiters

Recruiters are actively using social media to find candidates. According to Capterra, 89% of recruiters have hired through LinkedIn, their preferred platform. LinkedIn's special search functions allow recruiters to search the entire network, not just their connections, meaning anyone with an up-to-date and well-written profile could be discovered.

To enhance your prospects of being found, include key industry-related search terms in your profile and CV. These terms, often found in job adverts for roles you're interested in, should be easy to incorporate. Additionally, ask your network to endorse you for specific skills.

Strengthening Your Application with Additional Information

Candidates are increasingly advised to differentiate themselves from the masses to stand out when applying for jobs. Since the amount of detail one can include on a CV is limited, social media profiles are an excellent place to communicate additional information.

Recruiters often turn to the web to gain insight into your personality, check qualifications, and view testimonials, all of which can strengthen your application. Social media allows you to mention hobbies, extracurricular achievements, and professional accolades, presenting a more rounded picture of yourself.

Keep all professional profiles updated by adding training courses, seeking recommendations, and including new responsibilities. Forbes highlights that it’s as important to emphasise what you can offer a prospective employer as it is to mention employment information.

Social Media as a Screening Tool

The shift to online recruitment has made the process slicker and faster. Recruiters no longer need to wait for you to receive, complete, and send back application forms before progressing to the next stage. Instead, they can vet candidates using information provided on social media.

They can check LinkedIn for employment dates and testimonials. While no reputable recruiter would contact a referee without consent, they can quickly obtain basic details—such as gaps in employment or team fit—essentially covering the initial screening round.

However, you can also harm your prospects if your personal profiles are open for all to see. Resume Bear reports that 65% of recruiters check social media to evaluate candidates’ professionalism in terms of social conduct, and nearly three-quarters have found reasons not to progress a candidate based on their findings. Photos of you in compromising situations or unfavourable posts can lead to your application being rejected.

Ultimately, social media networks offer a highly efficient medium to increase your visibility and demonstrate why you are the perfect person for a role. With so many recruiters and employers now considering platforms like LinkedIn their first port of call when searching for candidates, you can’t afford not to embrace social media.