Social Site Will Not Get You a Job

Will it provide a possible lead? Maybe, but don't count it. Social Networking is exactly that, it's social related. It's meant for something, I think, but job seeking is far down the list. What about business social networking? Okay, maybe it's a little more useful than social networking for finding a job, but still, the odds of you getting employed directly as a result of an online business networking site is relatively low. The deal is that there is a lot that has to take place in-between for social networking to help with a job search. First off, you need a company with an open job. It's rare that a company is going to create a job, just because you're on the market. The other thing is that you need to get the job. Besides needing to be a good match for the job that some buddy might know about, you need to actually interview and get hired. That is way out of the realm of how your network is going to help.

Job seeking is like prospecting in sales. You have to utilize multiple methods to find a buyer for your service. Like sales, you may telemarket, cold call, ask for referrals, advertise, etc.  One of them will come through. Social networking can be a little tiny piece of it, but don't waste too much time focusing on this avenue. Social networking is to job seeking like telemarketing is to sales. It could work, but it's usually not your most efficient method. If you want to network for a job online, network and join groups where you do not know anyone. This could prove to be signficantly more valuable than bumming around with people you already know, or used to know 20 years ago.