You do know that 94% of job recruiters are now using social media for the purpose of job placement, right?

And you’re using this knowledge to boost your own career, aren’t you?

No? Well, if not, then you might want to consider using writing on social media as a method to boost your career – because it’s become a big time player in today’s job recruitment world.

Let’s have a look at some numbers regarding job placement through social networks, and then a few ideas for best practices in order to increase your chances of finding the best position available for your skill set. And, a few of practices to avoid as well.

The Numbers

According to Jobvite’s 2015 Job Seeker Nation Survey, 94% of recruitment agencies now use social media to source viable candidates for job placement. And in the same survey, employers who used social media to fill positions found a 49% improvement in candidates’ qualifications over candidates sourced through traditional channels. While a 2013 nationwide survey at CareerBuilder showed that 39% of all employers use social media for recruiting and hiring, which is up from 37% in the previous year.

These numbers are staggering, and if you’re not using social media to enhance your career advancement, you’re clearly missing the bus.

So, let’s move on and learn how to leverage this information.

Social Media Best Practices for Landing Your Ideal Job

With so many companies using social media as a source for headhunting, the written word is clearly their first introduction to you. To take advantage of social media platforms and present yourself as an expert, consider the following:

• Write articles that showcase your expertise, experience and knowledge by composing posts that “support your career goals”. In other words, invest your time in writing about work environments, experiences and insights rather than your Granny’s shortbread recipe.
• Feature your generosity by writing and publishing articles on the basics of starting in your field. Why? Because “supportive beginner information is exactly what mainstream publications are looking to publish.”
• In your blog writing and social media commenting, use keywords related specifically to your career. This is because recruiters “type into Google the keywords we’re [their clients] looking for… [and] the key skills they are looking for.”

Brush Up Your LinkedIn Profile, and Engage

Of all the popular social media platforms, LinkedIn leads the pack when it comes to job placement, with 93% of companies referring to LinkedIn profiles for recruitment. Facebook and Twitter rank a distant second and third at 66% and 54% respectively.

And this post by John White, Career Benefits of Writing on LinkedIn, provides ample evidence to support the above surveys’ numbers. Mr. White reports the following benefits since writing a #1 post on LinkedIn:

• His subscribers increased by 11,000.
• He landed his first public speaking engagement.
• He was approached by, and has since written posts for major media outlets and large corporations such as Boeing.
• His personal brand exposure has increased exponentially, and he is now being interviewed by social media experts.
• And, he was able to score a choice new position in his field.

Pretty sweet results from taking a bit of time to leverage LinkedIn’s writing platform.

Some Not So Great Social Media Tactics for Career Advancement

This infographic from SproutSocial points out a few things to be wary of when posting on your social networks:

• 3 out of 4 hiring managers and recruiters check your social media profiles, even if you haven’t provided them.
• 1 out of 3 employers rejected candidates because of something they found on social media profiles.
• 78% of recruiters disapprove of references to illegal drug use.
• 67% have a negative reaction to posts of a sexual nature.

It seems obvious, but worth pointing out, exercising a little discernment when posting online can be beneficial to your career! Think twice before sharing any information that could be considered embarrassing, because it can come back to haunt you.

So, if you haven’t been using your writing talents on social networks to advance your career, maybe it’s time to reconsider. It’s evident from the numbers that doing so is one of the best steps you can take for success in any field.