Special Report: Using #Hashtags to Land Your Next Job

It might be time to throw away that paper resume.

Recruiters in Milwaukee say more and more companies are turning to social media to find applicants, before the job's even been posted.

That means certain words and phrases you post on your Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn, could help companies find you before you find them.

At Milwaukee's Manpower Job Agency, Deidre Garett says 90% of their customers are using social media to fill open positions.

     "Social media affords them the ability to find those candidates right away," she says. "I can reach out to someone right now on Facebook and get an immediate response."

Garett says companies are searching for social media resumes, essentially a mini-resume offering a link to more information.

That online resume should include keywords following a "#" - which allows people to search for specific things on twitter. 

For example, if you're looking for a job in engineering, your resume should include #MechanicalEngineer,  #Machinery, or #ExperiencedEngineer, along with the area you're looking to work in.

     "Showing that initiative shows us that you’re really looking for that job," says Garett. “A lot of clients specifically in the Waukesha and Milwaukee area are really looking for candidates with specific  skills and skill sets. And to be able to find those active and passive candidates, social media affords them the opportunity to find those candidates right away."

Garett says more companies are also posting jobs on their social media pages, so if there's someone you want to work for, make sure to follow their page. 

     "Anyone who’s looking for a job should definitely be open to looking at sites like Facebook, there’s different jobs available there that may not be posted on our other sites that their not aware of, so be open to those different opportunities."