Social Network Your Way into Career Opportunities

by Robyn Tellefsen

If you're tired of walking around a conference room with a handful of business cards and a "Hello, my name is" tag stuck to your shirt, click into the 21st century. With the advent of social networking sites, you can meet and greet contacts just as effectively as -- or even more effectively than -- you did face-to-face.

That's because social networking sites do a lot of the legwork for you. No longer must you surf a company's Web site or do laps around a room to find a name you can use; that information is just a mouse click away on networking sites like LinkedIn or even Facebook. Search for people you used to work with, friends you went to school with, and even people who work at a company that interests you. The information is readily available; the only question is what you'll do with it.

Building your brand
If you have your own business or you're looking for steady freelance work, building your own Web site is an important first step to securing clients. Your site may include your resume and portfolio of work, a list of services you provide, and a roster of clients and their testimonials. Since your Web site may be the first professional impression you give, you need to make sure the content is targeted and the design is user-friendly.

Blogging professionally
Keeping a blog is a more personal way to generate interest in your products or services. Blogging helps people get to know your style, your likes and dislikes, and a bit about your personal life. But there is a big difference between personal and professional blogging. You might want your friends to know the ridiculous thing your significant other said to you last night over dinner, but do you really want that information broadcast to your current colleagues, or worse, potential clients? Professional blogs work as long as you stick to your subject of expertise and save your musings about the meaning of life for your personal, restricted-access blog.

Vetting your online presence
Your online presence is something you should be proud of, something that doesn't need to be edited for each prospective client or employer. If you're using Facebook for networking purposes, post professionally relevant, commentable links. If you have a Twitter account, make your tweets interesting enough to attract followers. If you're on LinkedIn, don't be shy about asking for recommendations from your list of contacts. It's one thing to know 100 people; it's another to have documented evidence of their praise for you and for your work. These are the kinds of interactive bits of information that will get you noticed and keep your career on the cutting edge.

A professional Web site, blog, LinkedIn profile, Twitter presence, and other social networking tools can be a lot to manage, but the rewards make the effort worthwhile. Because when you're looking for career opportunities, it's best to cast a wide net. You never know where your next contact will come from.