Effective Networking Strategies for Job Seekers
Meeting People who Might Know Others who Have a Job Opening
May 5, 2009
Many job seekers wonder how politicians, athletes, and other higher-paid individuals never seem to be without a job for very long. The answer is simple: it’s who the person knows even more than what he knows. Though it may sound cliché, expanding one’s social network to include key business contacts is very important in the job search.
It could be a chance meeting with an executive who knows of an open position. The executive tells the job seeker that he or she will talk to the hiring manager and recommend the candidate for the job by word of mouth. This is a shining example of effective job networking at its finest.
Forming an effective professional network is a key component of the job search process. While many job seekers are busy enough trying to keep up with their resume, cover letter, and thank-you letter writing, networking may seem more time consuming than it's worth. However with an effective strategy that includes online social networking as well as community and special interest group involvement, that coveted job offer may become more of a reality.
Online Business and Social Networking
The first step in forming an effective professional network is to sign up with several online business and social networking websites. Expanding one’s professional network online is very important to discover new leads and possible job openings. Useful websites include:
- Linkedin: Linkedin is by far the most popular online job networking tool to date, allowing users to add work history, skills, and a resume to their online profile. Linkedin also allows users to search for jobs and to connect with professionals from other companies with whom they had prior contact.
- MySpace: MySpace Jobs allows users to search for jobs and to view featured employers. To connect with others in the job seeker's line of work, simply perform a MySpace search using the job title as the search term.
- Facebook: Facebook provides handy job searching and networking applications such as Job Snagger that allow users to search jobs and to connect with others to obtain job leads.
- Twitter: Famous for its 140-character or less blog posting rules, job seekers can use Twitter to blog what kind of job they are looking for using # tags for greater visibility (e.g., #jobs #employment #technology). Don’t forget about TwitterJobSearch, which displays various job opportunities posted via Twitter.
Community Groups
Community networking opportunities abound. Job seekers can find professional groups in public libraries, religious institutions, and in many other public places. Using the job seeker’s online resources, the candidate can learn about a variety of meet-ups to discuss job leads and job search strategies.
Career Special Interest Groups
Career special interest groups provide an additional means of obtaining job leads and new career opportunities. These groups can include professional chapters and associations pertaining to the job seeker’s career field. For example, AIGA for graphic designers and STC for technical communicators.
Bottom Line on Formulating the Job Networking Strategy
Too many job seekers overlook the process of formulating an effective job networking strategy as a key component of their overall job search. However when job seekers formulate an effective professional network that includes making contacts online, in their communities, and through career special interest groups, learning about hidden or unadvertised employment opportunities vastly improves the candidate’s chances of landing a new job.
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