You may be familiar with using social networking sites to connect with your friends. But have you ever wondered how to find a job using social networking methods?
Well, here are some ways you can approach it strategically, with purpose.
First, get familiar with the different forms of social media sites, and their missions and approaches to serving their users. Sites such as LinkedIn, Facebook, etc., may differ in the kinds, formats and delivery methods of information shared through their user networks. However, such sites are generally founded upon tools facilitating public or private connection-building and timely communications among networked individuals and organizations. These communications structures make such sites great vehicles for rapidly sharing and accessing information -- including information about employment opportunities.
For your job search, choose your primary network based on your personal strengths, needs and personality. If you were involved and social in college, Facebook. com is your best starting point. If you have job or internship experience, LinkedIn.com may be a better choice. These may be supplemented by other networks that focus on information and news like Twitter, and marketing and promotions like MySpace.com.
MAINTAIN A PROFESSIONAL PROFILE
Many college and university career centers now have a presence on Facebook and LinkedIn, and also offer blogs and Twitter options. Students would be wise to...take full advantage of the information and resources offered to them.
-- Timothy B. Luzader, Director, Center for Career Opportunities, Purdue University
As you get started, remember that the foundation of your social networks is YOU -- how you present yourself and share your own information. When using these networks, remember to maintain a professional demeanor that earns you a credible reputation online. You can always spot those who are professional in informal situations. You will first need to establish an account. Whether starting a new account or revising an existing one for your job search, be sure to present yourself “professionally” -- avoid using a frivolous or cryptic username and email address like This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . Provide current contact information with a verified email address you routinely monitor. After that, you will create a personal profile that should reflect your experience, interests, goals and aspirations.
The profile consists of different fields: name, date of birth, hometown, activities, interests, former employers, contact info and education.
Most important is the “About Me” section, where you can explain who you are, in full, with a concise, creative bio to attract visitors’ interest. It should convey your personality, goals and expectations in life and in a career. Be sure to mention or list significant accomplishments and affiliations on your profile. You may want to indicate your current job search status, region where you are living, and maybe a desired work location.
LinkedIn also provides the opportunity to upload your resume and specifically indicate your interest in being contacted about job opportunities. Again, your resume should be professional, up-to-date, proofread and well formatted, and reviewed by your campus career counselor.
Even for sites that don’t feature resume posting, it’s helpful to have an updated copy of one for reference when filling out your profile. Enter all information to your best ability, honestly, completely, and with care. Keep in mind that much of the information you post in your profile may be keyword-searchable by others on the site, and possibly from outside search engines like Google. Therefore, be certain to use (correctly-spelled) terms that are relevant to your skills, experiences, and desired job types.
Stewart Ikeda, vice president of the recruitment services company IMDiversity, Inc., also recommends looking up the exact format and spelling of your schools and companies where you formerly worked or interned as they may appear on networks already existing on the site. Ikeda points out that the site’s software “may automatically suggest or include you in networks related to organizations” that you listed in your profile. This may include current managers at a company where you once interned, or former colleagues or managers who might provide you with a tip or recommendation letter.
Lee Junkans (right), Director of the Career Development Center at Chicago State University, suggests that students can also stand out from the crowd by making intelligent use of the site's available media tools. "Smart job seekers will begin to explore ways to upload videos that will promote their employability," he advises, noting that it's "something that I have seen very little evidence of."
CONNECT WITH YOUR CAMPUS CAREER CENTER & ALUMNI
Next, use the site’s various search tools to start building a network of individuals and groups who can aid your job search. This list may include some friends and relatives, but should mainly consist of contacts who are 
relevant to your career and job interests.
One natural resource to connect to right away is any network already established by your campus career center. College career centers increasingly maintain a presence on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, etc., says Timothy B. Luzader (left), Director of Purdue University’s Center for Career Opportunities, so “students would be wise to...take full advantage of the information and resources offered to them” through these channels. Resources include not only notices of jobs, but an opportunity to connect with alumni.
Mark S. Savage (right), Director of Engineering Co-op & Career Services at Cornell University agrees. He observes that Cornell students have effectively used LinkedIn to locate and contact alums prominent in their targeted fields.
One benefit of such a tool, Savage says, is that one can cross-reference searches on the name of a university and of a given company, and quickly identify people at the company who are likely to be alumni, “thereby getting around the very guarded lists that university alumni departments often maintain.” He also suggests conducting similar searches on the names of professional societies to which you belong.
BUILD YOUR NETWORKS
Employers themselves are also increasingly building a presence on networking sites. Seek out and join the networks or subscription feeds of companies where you want to work, keeping in mind that the company may have multiple networks -- one for general news, one for current employees, and one just for its recruitment or HR departments. (Many companies, for example, have “Groups” or “Fan Pages” on Facebook, as well as networks for current employees in specific departments.)
The main careers Website for the company often includes links to the networking sites they actively use to share hiring information. In some cases, such as at Microsoft, some company recruiters even maintain their own individual network pages, blogs or Twitter feeds through which you can get timely updates about new opportunities, engage in direct correspondence with them, and get helpful background information about what they seek in a candidate. You may even glean something about a shared personal interest so that you have an “ice-breaker” topic handy should you get a chance to meet them.
Twitter offers less opportunity to promote oneself as a job seeker than other social networking sites, but the smart job seeker will [follow] sources that provide knowledge that might not be available through other resources and offer a competitive edge.
-- Lee Junkans, Director, Career Development Center, Chicago State University
KEEP THEM UPDATED
Once you’ve built a professional profile and a strong network, you can’t expect to find a great job by just sitting back and taking it easy. You need to consistently and professionally present your job search interests. Social media sites offer great new tools to communicate and collaborate, whether by adding comments to posts, instant messaging people across the world, or posting stories, links or media yourself.
One of the most powerful tools is the “status update”. These brief text dispatches are automatically distributed throughout your network, and should be limited to significant developments, and serious information about your interests and job search. You can use these, for example, to announce that you will be attending a conference or job fair that includes recruiters in your desired occupation. If you plan to attend a conference held by your student society that features recruiter booths, workshops, or company presentations, use your status to express an interest in meeting with attendees and exhibitors about their opportunities.
In summary, follow these steps to get a great start on finding a job through social networking media.
1. Sign up with networking site(s).
2. Fill out profiles with important, relevant, well-formatted information.
3. Seek out and network with employers, organizations and individuals who can share valuable job information and assistance.
4. Broadcast (in Status or “Tweets”) what you are looking for in a job and career and make it visible to your network.
5. Be sure to keep all information updated, professional, and filled with searchable language and concise messages relevant to your job search and interests.
By following these steps, you will transcend the purely social aspects of networking sites and benefit from the human and automated, keyword-searchable, career-focused sectors of the networks. Consistent messaging about your career goals will let more people know you are looking to enter the workforce. Looking for a job has never been easy, but today’s popular networking tools can be effective for finding opportunities and presenting yourself to employers. By using these sites wisely, you are likely to find a variety of career opportunities -- or they will find you.
Many college and university career centers now have a presence on Facebook and Linked in, and also offer blogs and Twitter options. Students would be wise to surface their career center's presence in these areas and take full advantage of the information and resources offered to them.
