How to Use Snapchat in Your Job Search

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Graham Allgood, a college senior, dreamed of landing a social media internship at top agency Horizon Media. The problem was, so did every other college senior. Allgood knew he had to set himself apart, so he decided to skip the traditional resume and application and did something completely unexpected: he created an on-demand geofilter. This is a Snapchat design that features a custom location or special event, and Allgood scheduled a campaign to launch during the agency's working hours.

That same day, Allgood received an invitation to interview, and within days, he had a job offer. His ingenuity and innovation cut through the competition and showed off his social media savvy, making him a great fit for the agency.

Snapchat and Job Searching

If you think Snapchat is something just for teens to swap selfies or make silly faces, you may be missing out on a powerful career development tool. While known for its use by millennials and teenagers, Snapchat is one of the fastest growing social media platforms with over 200 million active users.

Companies from HubSpot to General Electric are increasingly using the app to highlight their work, culture, and employees, and it can be an easy way to connect with prospective employers. From showcasing your portfolio to networking with professionals, Snapchat can be an asset in your job search. Here's how to take advantage of all Snapchat has to offer:

Highlight Your Achievements

Snapchat provides a unique opportunity to highlight your work in an engaging way visually. Share your expertise, exciting projects, and great results. Use the app as a platform to position yourself as an industry leader. For example, comment on the latest trends in your industry, create stories with Snapchat's features to show off your latest campaign, or show your team celebrating a significant milestone. It lets employers see not only your work, but your personality, teamwork, and social media savvy.

Instead of a Resume, Tell a Story

If you are in a creative industry, like advertising or event planning, posting your resume as a story can be an excellent way to stand out from the competition. Video clips and pictures that recap your experience, accomplishments, and growth emphasize your capabilities and potential for a new position. While a Snapchat resume may not work in fields like law or accounting, a social media-based resume can resonate in fields that focus on out-of-the-box thinking and ingenuity.

Network With Employers

With employers like Goldman Sachs posting regularly on Snapchat, it can be a great way to learn about a company, find out about their culture, and connect with their staff. They often post breaking news, milestones, and other achievements, which can give you great talking points in a cover letter or interview. You can interact with them as well, but do it strategically when you have something of value to contribute to the discussion.

Taco Bell is a great example of a company using Snapchat to advertise job opportunities and recruiting for internships.

Career Development

Some of the biggest leaders in business use Snapchat to offer tips, advice, and tutorials on industry trends. Follow key leaders in your field to learn about building your executive presence, how to increase engagement or how to improve your productivity.

While Snapchat is most well known as an app for funny pictures and video clips, if used strategically, you can use it as a powerful platform to supercharge your job search.

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Jonathan Dyer

This is a headline I never really expected to see but you've convinced me. Very interesting. It will also be fascinating to see where Snapchat goes in the future and what opportunities that could possibly open up. Who knows — maybe it will end up being like LinkedIn for Gen Z.