Navigate the Internet to Find Your New Boss

Social media isn’t just for chatting with your friends anymore; it can actually help you find a job.

For those who are skeptical, consider the fact that an estimated 30-60% of jobs are filled through networking.

So why should you limit yourself to networking solely in-person, and with connections you already have?

Using online networking to build your personal brand, making new and targeted connections is a solid job-search tactic. If you’re still not sold, let me tell you about how I landed my job through social media!

It was January 2011, a new year, and I was looking for a fresh start.

I was determined to find a job at a local online marketing agency, but the job boards were not helpful. With only one year of experience under my belt, I was still considered an entry-level employee.

Most of the jobs I found were listed by corporations looking to employ people with several years of experience: slim pickings.

After months of perusing the job boards with no luck, I read an article that suggested using social media to connect with local professionals and industry experts.

So I performed a Boolean search on Twitter for many different keyword strings, such as “marketing agency”, “marketing firm” and “marketing professional”.

Now I had a list of marketing firms on Twitter that I could follow and start engaging with.

After several months of tweeting about social media and engaging in conversation with other local marketing experts, I decided it was time to reach out to those who might be hiring.

I sent LinkedIn invitation requests to several of my Twitter connections, since LinkedIn is more of a professional social network. Once we connected, I sent them a private message:

Subject: Re: 30 Social Media Predictions…

Hi (name), thanks for sharing that great resource today. I noticed you work at a marketing firm in NJ. Do you happen to know if they are hiring? I went to their website and I couldn’t find any careers listed and I am in the market for a new job. Any advice/direction you could throw my way would be much appreciated!

One of my connections responded and in fact they were looking to hire, since they were a brand new startup without a marketing strategist! I went in for the interview and had a new job there two weeks later.

So, I hope you see the value in using social networks such as Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn to find a job.

This is your opportunity to get creative and set yourself apart from everyone else.

Let your personality and expertise shine through, and don’t be afraid to ask for what you want.