Social networking – an essential part of looking for work
If you use social networks the right way, they can help you get a job. If you use them the wrong way, they can make it harder to find the work you want. That is why Nishi Sharma and Sheila Lampros gave delegates to the Immigrant Professionals Conference the “Do’s and Don’t’s” of social networking as a job search tool.
Sharma and Lampros reminded the audience that most people find jobs through making connections with other people. They cited Richard Bolles, the author of What Color Is Your Parachute, as saying that you have a 1-24% chance of finding a job through an ad on the internet or in a newspaper and a 50-86% chance of getting work through networking.
There are several online sites that can be used to expand your networks. They include LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, My Space, Plaxo, Various Blogs and YouTube.
Lampros and Sharma recommended using LinkedIn and Twitter. No matter which site you use, you should:
- Be Honest -- Provide the information requested by the group or its moderator when joining
- Build Trust - Wait patiently and gauge the culture of the group
- Build Your Personal Brand - Provide your job title and sector/industry
- Collaborate - Start by introducing yourself. Make a comment or two and then evaluate the group's response. If necessary, adjust the tone or style of your messages so that the group is comfortable with you.
- Say Thank You
They also provided the following advice of what to do and what not to do in when Social Networking online.
Do:
- Update your profile regularly
- Join groups selectively
- Consider creating a professional profile, establish relationships with thought leaders, recruiters and potential referrals.
- Keep gripes offline. Keep the content focused on the positive, whether professional or personal information
- Be selective about who you accept as friends. Monitor comments made by others. Consider using the "block comments" feature or setting your profile to "private" so only designated friends can view it.
Don’t:
- Badmouth current/previous employer/colleagues
- Mention you’re on a job search if your present employer isn’t aware
- Exhibit poor communication skills
- Share confidential information from a previous employer
- Write or post anything you wouldn’t want
- your grandparent to see,
- to see on a billboard,
- to be published on the front page of a Newspaper
Many prospective employers will check you out online. In a recent study, almost one in five employers said online information led them to make the right hiring decisions. They reported finding useful information about candidates such as their personality and interests, professional qualifications, creativity, communication skills, and the recognition they’ve received. So, if you want to improve your chances of getting the right job for you, make sure you’re making the best use possible of Social Networking.
