Spotlight for Career Services Professionals

The “Career Counselor's Guides to Social Media in the Job Search” were originally written and have been recently updated by Kevin Grubb of Villanova University, Shannon Conklin of Temple University, and Megan Wolleben of Bucknell University. The updated guides are available at www.naceweb.org/knowledge/social-media/career-counselors-guide.aspx. Following is information from “The Career Counselor's Guide to Pinterest.”

The content a student pins on Pinterest, similar to the pinners they follow, should reflect their interest, goals, and brand. Pins are images with an embedded link. The pinned image is a bookmark and leads to a website or other resource. Pins can be original content a student created, such as a creative resume he or she would upload from his or her computer. Additionally, they can use the “Bookmarklet” tool or look for “Pin-It” widgets on websites. Finally, they can also repin content found while exploring Pinterest.

The pinning tool is always available on one’s homepage—hovering in the lower, right-hand corner.

Have students consider what draws their eye and attention. This will help draw others to the students’ pins, especially on their respective Pinterest home pages, or encourage someone to repin content. More importantly, have students pay attention to where they send followers. This is an opportunity to drive traffic off Pinterest and to a LinkedIn profile, discover an organization of interest, or more. Here are suggestions for students on what to pin:

• Organizations—Where does the student want to work? What organizations inspire him or her? Or, which professional associations should he or she know about?
• Causes—If a student volunteers or is passionate about a subject, add content from respective websites or images that reflect that cause.
• Blogs—Does the student write a blog or follow one? Add links to posts.
• Events—Is your office hosting a panel or career fair? What about relevant networking events off campus? Pin the websites for these events.
• Resumes—Creative resumes are a new spin on traditional black and white, text-based versions. These resumes are image-based, with a mix of fonts and colors. Students, especially in creative industries, could develop a creative resume of their own, as well as pin examples for reference.
• Designs—If students have online portfolios of work they designed, whether architecture, graphic design, websites, or logos, they can pin images that lead back to this portfolio.
• Advice—There are many quotes on Pinterest. Use these to share advice or collect inspiration.
• Clothing—Retail and fashion are among the most popular industries on this platform. Students can illustrate their professionalism by showing they know what’s appropriate to wear for an interview or in the workplace.