Mahesh Kukreja

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It is not only your skills, abilities, education and experience that contribute to a successful job hunt. It‘s also having the right contacts or being in the right place at the right time in order to make that critical work-related connection or hear about that promising job lead. Social media and the networking connections individuals have through such sites are quite handy tools to have at your disposal when looking for employment. Take advantage of the connections you have by tapping into social media networks and utilizing them to their fullest.

Recognize Your Social Media Contacts as Resources

Many people fail to use their social media networking contacts when looking for a new job. They may spend time looking at tons of online job boards and may tell their friends and family members they’re in the market for a new position, but too many people still don’t tap into their social media contacts when job hunting.

Take a Look at Who You Know

The old adage: “It’s not what you know, but who you know that matters” – really is true when it comes to job hunting. Who you know will help you get your foot in the door for that interview. After that, it’s what you know and who you are that will get you the job. Odds are you know plenty of people who may have leads on promising employment opportunities. Some of those in your social media networks may also be able to hand your resume to their own employers or recommend you as a good candidate for a particular role.

Job Hunting Social Media Options

1. Professional Networking Sites

As social media has expanded over the years, there have been numerous professional networking sites crop up. The most well known, and one of the most widely used of these sites is LinkedIn. If you don’t already have a presence on LinkedIn, you should consider establishing one. Take advantage of the connections you have on the site to find new employment opportunities, and be sure to showcase your skills, experience and knowledge in a professional and visually striking manner on your LinkedIn profile.

2. Personal Social Media Sites

Your personal social media accounts on sites like Facebook, MySpace, Twitter and Google+ provide you a circle of contacts that you can utilize in your job hunt. Let your social network, or at least specific members of that network, know you’re in the market for a new job. You may be surprised at the leads you can generate through close friends and casual acquaintances, alike.

3. Online Forums

Becoming a member of online forums associated with your career focus or professional area of expertise also provides you a means of using social media in job hunting. These social media sites afford you a chance to show your expertise, as well as make crucial contacts that can be beneficial in your job search and your career as a whole.

4. Dedicated Job Search Sites

Don’t forget that social media is a huge umbrella which covers tons of different kinds of internet sites and mobile applications. There are professional networking sites that are tied in with dedicated job search sites. Many are related to a professional certification you may hold or a degree you’ve achieved. Membership on these websites can give you additional career-oriented contacts, as well as access to jobs that aren’t posted on the mainstream internet employment sites.

Author Bio

This post is written by John Lewis and he works at PriceCollate. You can checkout the blog of website here.

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