Tweet, but don’t share too much
Don’t be late to the game—get up and running on Twitter and start understanding how information is disseminated in today’s world of Web 2.0. By keeping abreast and retweeting on industry trends, events and happenings, you’ll stay in the know no matter how long you’ve been out of work. But, take care not to share too much. Social media can blur the lines of professional and personal, and your personality is easily conveyed. Stay away from daily and mundane updates and keep it in the professional realm.
Log on, Link In and Reach Out
Linkedin is a great way to get in touch and work your network for new opportunities. As of last count, there were 65 million professionals in every industry on the growing social network. Make sure your profile is up-to-date, compelling and complete, and it should trigger conversations with hiring managers. Link your profile with Twitter and tweet with the hashtag of #in to put your tweets back on you’ll be on every LinkedIn contact’s radar screen daily. Also, reach out for endorsements and recommendations and search the LinkedIn database for open opportunities—many are exclusive to the LinkedIn user community.
Setup a blog
Set up an industry blog and get your ideas to the masses of hiring managers in your sector, and promote your updates through Twitter and Facebook. Social Media is the new “word of mouth,” and being persistent and showing thought leadership conveys your passion and expertise for your industry and your talents.
Facebook Goes Beyond High School
When Facebook branched out from college students to let everyone (and their grandmother) participate, the snowball began. First connections were often close personal friends, college roommates and long-forgotten high school teammates. Not anymore. Posting job announcements, resumes and joining fan pages related to your industry can build close alliances, spur hiring manager conversations and lead to landing new business and positions.
Don’t Be Afraid to Connect
The barriers are down thanks to social media and mobility. You can be virtual “friends” and “colleagues” with anyone if you share blog commentary, Twitter communities and Facebook fan interests. Networking through Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook allows you to directly send messages to hiring managers and far-flung acquaintances of acquaintances to connect and land new opportunities. It’s true that finding a job is a full-time job, but social media presents endless potential networking channels.