In my office we always stress the importance of networking. I’ve heard from countless alumni that as soon as they get hired, they tell friends and family and at some point someone will say “You were job searching? Why didn’t you tell me, my friend is hiring!” It is one of the habits that is hardest to break to remember that what’s on your mind (ie: getting a job) isn’t always on the minds of the people you know. The questions we’re going to address are, when do you use online social networking? Is it better than other types of networking? How do you use it?
When do you use social networking? While there is no perfect time to use it, it should compliment the other parts of your job search. You should still be attending industry events (or other networking events-our alumni job search group has always brought together people from different industries who have contacts beneficial to other alumni.) You should still be scouting out the companies you want to work for, and also looking at posted positions. One recommendation is to update your profiles as soon as you start job searching, so that way you’re putting your best digital foot forward.
Is social networking better than other types of networking? This is a tricky question, because the answer is that it depends. (An answer I normally hate, but it’s true in this instance.) Some people are more visible online and networking with them is easy. Other people are more likely to make a connection with you live, and for them it’s more important to attend events with like-minded people. However, without giving online networking a ‘better or worse’ qualification, it doesn’t hurt to use it. It will not negatively impact your job search. (Unless you’re being unprofessional online, but that’s a post for another day.)
How do you use it? There are a lot of great articles out there about social networking and your job search. This article from job-hunt.org about google + makes some great points. This article from the same site about how to be a recruiter magnet is also very useful. This post with a specific job search and it’s step by step plan can give you some great ideas about what you should be doing in terms of your digital job search.