To make a # for myself?

[ellajayne]

I have a job interview for my dream job next week and in the job description they said they want someone creative and social media savvy. To help myself stand out in the interview I've created a # and asked people to retweet a tweet of mine or tweet to the # so I can show it in the interview.

I thought this was quite creative and using social media to my advantage but one of my friends says I am being ridiculous and will look stupid showing that during the interview.

It's a job in social media, by the way. AIBU?

[MrsSchadenfreude]

And strongly endorse taking an ipad to the interview.

[squeaver]

yy, everything MrsS says too.

[Trill]

Glad I didn't x-post there because I'm not sure that I agree with the ipad so strongly! :o

If you have one and use it all the time then it's good, but don't go out and get one - it'l be obvious if you're not familiar with it.

[MrsSchadenfreude]

Can you take a laptop that you're used to, instead, if you're not familiar with an ipad?

[Tee2072]

Also? Learn how to use your phone to make links.

[HollaAtMeBaby]

I don't think it's very "social media savvy" to show the interviewer your personal Twitter account in which you've tweeted a photo of "blood rashes all over your body"...

[MsJupiterJones]

Have you tried tweeting celebs/well known tweeters to see if you can get them to RT? The Caitlin Moran/Grace Dent types might be a good bet.

I would tweet some photos (maybe via Instagram or similar) so people have something to retweet. Maybe write or print the hashtag on signs, chalk on the road, whiteboard marker etc, t shirts even? Youtube video? something original for people to retweet. If you come up with something good it might even go viral by itself.

[ellajayne]

I can't afford to buy an iPad and know nobody with one so an iPad is just out of the question, unfortunately. I could take my laptop in and hook it up to their wifi.

The social media is in house. It's a web and communications assistant position which includes writing for the website, editing it, keeping it up to date, reporting statistics from analytics and promoting via social media.

I wanted RT's as I was hoping to gain interest and RT's from people I don't know and reach a wider audience. I will be promoting it more and more over the coming weeks and as the interest gains tweeting in the company etc. I was also going to take screenshot print outs along with a live demonstration to go with my comments at the interview.

I would always pitch what I can do for them, after all they would be employing me on my abilities. I have some more research to do into the company at hand and I was going to write a list of things to bring up during the interview. This was to highlight more than anything that I have an active interest in social media and I can use it to my advantage which in turn would be great for the company. It's also to stand out a little more as I hope nobody would have the exact idea as me.

[Wishfulmakeupping]

Fab idea I don't have a twitter account but shall we 'like' your FB page?

[squeaver]

Also, I would go in with an opinion, at least, on:

Instagram
Google +
Snapchat
And, basically, everything on [http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=02ea6d6.netsolhost.com/WordPress/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/social-media-prism1.jpg&imgrefurl=rajbgm.wordpress.com/2012/07/16/&h=958&w=1024&sz=301&tbnid=EFQcS2D-zhOj8M:&tbnh=90&tbnw=96&zoom=1&usg=__piBL1i6AB3-WH-BqVHTzUjF1b14=&docid=LdfCA3_t-JxppM&hl=en&sa=X&ei=QyiRUZbYAamp0QXB8oDgAw&sqi=2&ved=0CEwQ9QEwCQ&dur=1600 here] (joking - sort of)

And have opinions on companies who do social media well and those who do it badly.

[squeaver]

Sorry, here's a better link <a class="break-all" href="http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=02ea6d6.netsolhost.com/WordPress/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/social-media-prism1.jpg&imgrefurl=rajbgm.wordpress.com/2012/07/16/&h=958&w=1024&sz=301&tbnid=EFQcS2D-zhOj8M:&tbnh=90&tbnw=96&zoom=1&usg=__piBL1i6AB3-WH-BqVHTzUjF1b14=&docid=LdfCA3_t-JxppM&hl=en&sa=X&ei=QyiRUZbYAamp0QXB8oDgAw&sqi=2&ved=0CEwQ9QEwCQ&dur=1600" rel="nofollow noindex" target="_blank">here

I'm an expert, can't you tell....

[MrsSchadenfreude]

Right, well this is more or less the job I recruited for last summer, so I would go by what I suggested earlier as a start. We interviewed 5 people and the other four were all like sheep in that "Oh yes, I use FB, Twitter etc." If you have photos of rashes on your body on your Twitter, I would refrain from showing them your own Twitter pages (this would have been a complete no-no for me), and instead focus on their website/Twitter etc and what you can do for them, and show them what you will do and how you will do it. I can't stress that enough - you need to stand out from the others, who will probably all be taking the approach that you are.

As well as looking at their website - look at what others are saying about them online too. This is what the Wunderkind did, and my God, his preparation stood out.

If you take your laptop in, make sure it is a newish one and one that works quickly. A six year old clunky Dell won't impress anyone, and you don't want to sit there grinning like a fool, saying "sorry... it's not usually this slow" while it loads. And ask beforehand if you can bring it with you - some places are quite strict on what they will and won't allow onsite.

[ellajayne]

This has pretty much spiralled today for me. I applied for the job at midnight and had an interview date booked by lunch so I've been researching the company, reading about what they want from a candidate and I'm hoping to get the job. It's through a scheme that gets young people age 16-24 into work for six months and if they're any good there's the opportunity of a job at the end of it. I have a feeling a lot of people will apply for this job so I want to be prepared, especially since I haven't had a job more than as bar staff for five years since DD was born.

Please like the Facebook page if you'd like to. I'm just trying to set myself apart slightly and to be remembered. I know I wouldn't need this if my interview went well and I sold myself to them brilliantly but I'm lacking in the offline confidence department so every little helps.

[MrsSchadenfreude]

And what Squeaver said - and have an opinion on WHY x is a better fit for the company than y - this is something an old bitch like me they might ask.

[ellajayne]

Thank you for all of your advice, it is truly appreciated. I'll definitely be looking for improvements to suggest and explaining what I can do for them to make their online presence stronger.

My laptop is quite sluggish so do you think I should stick to my iPhone and print outs or ditch the print outs altogether?

As for Instagram, I was thinking of starting something where people take photos of a thumbs up and tag it with #laurasdreamjob. Something that most people can do and it's simple to photograph. Too boring or just enough?

[HollaAtMeBaby]

I also think you would look more social media savvy if you had a "hook" to this rather than just "pleeeease RT/like to help me get my dream job thanks huns xxx", which is the vibe at the moment. The point of social media is that it's interactive, sharing, reciprocal. So a better way to do this on twitter (for example) would be to tweet something like "Got an interview this week for my dream job! What's your dream job? Tell me and include #laurasdreamjob to get me trending for my interview!"

You can use that if you like, it's exactly 140 characters :)

Oh, and delete the rash photo FGS! Even your mum doesn't want to see that.

[ellajayne]

Thank you so much Holla. I was considering doing something like that but thought I'd test the waters with my friends first to see if it was a viable idea. I'll get on that now.

The photo is being deleted!

[SquirtedPerfumeUpNoseInBoots]

I'd take the printouts as a back up. In work, no way am I letting a random connect to my wifi.

MrsS has excellent advice for you.

If you get someone like me on your panel, be prepared for questions around safe and secure use of social media. How would you protect our accounts from hacking? What would you do to protect our reputation if we were compromised? How would you recognise a phishing email? That sort of thing.

[ellajayne]

Thank you. I am taking all of your advice on board and it's really helping. I have a list and I'm going to make sure I'm clued up well before the interview day.

Does anyone have any more tips or advice? General or specific, I need it all!

[ellajayne]

A question: should I @ the company in to the tweets so early in the game or will they be unappreciative of it?

[MakesCakesWhenStressed]

I lost out on a job of something they read in my personal blog and the way they interpreted it. If you're directing then to your blog then read through every single fucking post you ever wrote and delete anything even vaguely compromising.

and don't @ them until you're confident you can a) respond appropriately and b) have something to show then

[SkiBumMum]

I have NO idea what all this is about but good luck!

[ellajayne]

I don't think there is anything remotely incriminating on my blog but I will have a thorough read through. It was the blog that sealed the deal for interview apparently as I showed I have experience in writing, image design and editing, coding and social media. I doubt they've read more than the front page though due to time so I'll make sure it's 100% non-incriminating in any way in case something comes to light. Thank you for the tip.

DP says that I should tweet them in Monday or Tuesday so there may be something to show by then but it's also before the interview. They'll be able to see the dates of the tweets too.

[NeoMaxiZoomDweebie]

Can I suggest a video? If you make a short viral type vid and stick that on your FB page it could help too....you'll need a lot of likes and shares to show you're savvy...

[NeoMaxiZoomDweebie]

A funny clip will get more likes etc than any other type.