Working the Network

I'm currently transitioning into what could very well be my dream role with my current company but, just prior to that, I was actually hunting around for another job entirely! Having been off the market for almost seven years, the whole of my search efforts consisted of signing up for daily alerts from a well known job site tailored to match a listing of requirements that I entered upon registration. I also posted a resume but decided to take it down a few days later after being seized by a sudden fear that someone from my current company might find it. Good thing I didn't actually NEED a job since I already had one because I didn't stand a chance!

Apparently, the job search game has changed and for good reason! In 2008, there were 1.2 million job losses, unemployment is currently at 6.5%, and the largest companies are shedding as much as 10% of their workforces. There will be 1.5 million college graduates this year, yet the job growth rate is at a six year low, at 1.3%! The amount of jobs posted online is decreasing at over 13%, which has all led to the ratio of 3.3 job seekers per each job. With those staggering percentages, it's becoming imperative to utilize non-traditional methods to not only find a job opening, but to connect with key members of the companies and stand out from the pack.

Facebook. Twitter. LinkedIn. These are all relatively new avenues for job seekers that can open up possibilities that would never have existed in the pre-social networking era. I dug up an article that reveals the seven secrets to getting your next job using these tools and while some of these "secrets" seems totally doable, like conducting a people search instead of a job search and subscribing to blogs that have job listings, some seem kinda out there, even for me. I really cannot see myself creating a video resume and uploading it to YouTube!

I think, hands down, LinkedIn is one of the most useful job search vehicles of the social networking buffet and that's simply because the whole premise of the site is to connect to past and current colleagues, clients, classmates etc. in a very professional format with the entire framework being to network from a career focus. Unlike Facebook, which mashes vacation photos, Farmville updates and a career profile all together, LinkedIn is purely professional and offers all sorts of great ways to connect with people, research companies and put yourself squarely on the market.

What's the wildest job hunt you've heard involving social media? Did one tool work better than the other for your search? What are some absolute NO-NOs when it comes to using social media to look for a job?