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Everyone loves Pinterest, don’t they? With around 100 million active users, sharing billions of pins, it’s perfect for getting ideas on what to cook for the evening, getting art and craft inspiration, or for planning your birthday party… but it can also be a really great tool to help you when you’re looking for a job!

If you’re dubious about how Pinterest can help, read on, as we share 5 great ways you can use the tool in your job search, from helping with company research, to creating yourself a unique resume:

1. Find career advice

Pinterest can be a great place to find some “Pinspiration” if you’re unsure of your career path after college. Think about the type of work you’d like to do and enter those words into the Pinterest search bar. Next, try search terms such as “career advice” or “how to get a job”, where you will come across all sorts of articles and posts packed with information, advice and insights. Plus anyone can post to Pinterest and so the information you’ll find is not just from business journals, but real people who have already walked the path you are currently on.

2. Create a fantastic CV

Did you know there is a growing trend for “pinnable” CVs? These aren’t your bog standard A4 Word document with a list of your qualifications, some of them are works of art in their own right! These are especially useful if you’re looking for a role in a creative industry, where you want your CV to stand out and show off your talent. However, if you’re applying for a job in a more traditional industry, use Pinterest to get some layout ideas for your CV.

3. Research potential employers

This doesn’t mean looking at a particular company’s Pinterest page - although some do have amazing Pinterest accounts. Instead, search for a company name and you might be surprised at what comes up: blog posts by previous employees; photos of premises; business news; even maps of offices! If there is a particular company you’d really love to work for, it definitely pays to research them. That way you can tailor your CV and write a covering letter (and later give an interview) that shows you’ve done your research and are definitely the best person for the job!

4. Prepare for an interview

Even if you think you’ll be fine in your interview, it makes sense to prepare. Pinterest is a great place to find interview tips, common questions and answers, as well as suggestions for questions you should ask. You can also find lots of advice for becoming (or at least appearing) more confident in your interview. To get started, take a look at our Open Colleges career board.

5. Research outfits

Even if the job you’re looking for is likely to have a uniform, you’ll still want to look the part for your interview. Other jobs, for example in an office, may have the vague dress code of “smart casual”, which can often be difficult to judge what might fall inside or outside of the acceptability bracket. This is truly where Pinterest comes into its own. Just search for outfits in your chosen sector and it will bring you a whole host of ideas that are not just suitable, but also stylish, practical, budget or designer - depending on which search terms you’ve entered.

If you’ve spent time on Pinterest, you’ll know you can easily lose hours without achieving much. If you want to use it for your job search, our top tip is to remain focused. Make a list of potential search terms before you go to the site. Then, rather than click individual links to articles and photos, create your own “job search” or “career” board and pin everything you find relevant. You can then go back to your board and click away to external sites from there. This should help you to avoid being distracted by other things and allow you to get the most out of your Pinterest career search.

If you’re interested in trying Pinterest when looking for a job, you may also want to read this article first, to understand some of the do’s and don’ts of using social media in your job search. Have you used Pinterest in any other ways to help with your job hunt? Let us know in the comments below!