Networking is just talking with people. Social networking is talking with people online. Employers post jobs on all social media.
Be careful.
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Never list your address, phone number, or bank accounts. Don’t give anyone your social security number.
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Be positive. Don’t argue with people online. It is likely that employers will see everything you post.
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Scammers may try to sell you training or job search assistance that should be free.
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Common Social Networking Websites |
LinkedIn
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Many people connect with others in their career field to learn about events and trends through LinkedIn.
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LinkedIn can be used to research employers.
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Start by creating a profile on this site. This lists your skills, career goals, and past jobs.
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Connect with people you know. You can ask them to post recommendations for you. You can find others in your field by seeing the contacts from people you know. You can ask to add them to your “connections.”
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You can also search for groups with your career interests. These groups update information often. You can ask questions and get job leads in these groups.
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Twitter
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Twitter is an online social networking and micro-blogging service where registered users can write and send 140 character tweets. Unregistered users can only read tweets.
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Twitter sends very short messages to many people at one time.
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You can use it to update "followers" on your career or find job leads.
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Employers use it to tell people about job openings. They also use it to learn more about applicants.
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Job seekers post their basic information. They may link to their résumés or blogs.
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Facebook
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Facebook is a place to connect with your friends, people, and organizations. You make connections with people who share your interests.
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You can search for people who work for employers you’d like to learn about. You can ask to connect with them about your job search.
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