Social Networking Sites Helping Job Seekers

By CityTownInfo.com Staff
August 18, 2009

Social networking Web sites such as Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter are enabling people to promote their skills, connect with potential employers and search for job leads.

"Mobile technology and social networking has shifted the whole job search paradigm," said Susan Joyce, editor of Job-Hunt.org, who was quoted by Reuters [from an article originally located at http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/32387292/ns/business-careers/]. "You don't need to stay glued to your phone or computer at home anymore."

She suggested creating a resume through LinkedIn, a business networking site that allows users to create a profile and list skills, employment history and contact details. And, she added, it can even be accomplished with a Blackberry or iPhone.

"The LinkedIn Profile is really the resume of the future," Joyce noted. "The 'resume' on LinkedIn is really the standard LinkedIn Profile, but it's very popular with recruiters looking for good candidates."

The Examiner reports on how LinkedIn aids employers seeking to fill jobs: In Seattle, a director seeking an experienced web applications developer conducted a search on LinkedIn and found some appropriate candidates, and connected with their references. Similarly, an investor used the same method, considering the references of possible candidates before even meeting them.

"How does this help executives in their job search?" asks the Examiner. "It informs them how important making references and acquiring references are to an effective job search."

Thomas F. Korvas, director of career services at Ohio University, agreed that making connections can make all the difference in a job search. "I don't think students really understand networking, nor do they work to develop and refine those skills," he told CityTownInfo.com in an exclusive interview. "Research still shows that between 50 percent and 70 percent of individuals find their job through their network."

Job seekers have also turned to Twitter, a micro-blogging service in which users send 140-character messages at a time, by pasting links to their resumes and "tweeting" their career goals. People also utilize Twitter to follow recruiters or specific companies.

Other online networking groups help job seekers as well. Reuters reports, for example, on a new group called Layoffs Cafe at www.meetup.com/Layoffs-cafe/.

"It's really helped in these hard times," said Nilo Sarraf, who formed the group. "You have a much easier time finding job and networking events. And every time I go to one of these events, I add at least one connection."

The downside to all these connections, noted Sarraf, is that it's hard to stay on top of all of the information. "It can be overwhelming," she said. "It's hard to weed out all the information and manage your time."

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