Social sites a job search tool

Just about everyone looking for a job has heard of CareerBuilder or HotJobs. That's why companies that post jobs there sometimes receive thousands of resumes for a single position.

Those are long odds for one person hoping for one job. So career counselors increasingly are telling clients to use social media Web sites as part of their search.

Use sites such as Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter for any leverage possible to research your target. Just do so carefully, and don't expect social media alone to produce a job offer.

LinkedIn

LinkedIn is like an all-business, professional version of Facebook.

It reigns as the No. 1 choice among career consultants for help finding a job. That's because more than 60 million professionals in 200 countries have uploaded profiles about themselves to LinkedIn to help build their careers.

More recruiters are looking to LinkedIn instead of huge career sites such as Monster because it's more targeted. That makes LinkedIn a goldmine of information for job seekers.

Say you're interested in a marketing job at Pepsi. With LinkedIn, you can build your online profile (like an elaborate resume) and upload contacts from your Gmail, Yahoo or Outlook account. LinkedIn then looks for connections at Pepsi or most any company you wish.

You may know someone at Pepsi, a former college roommate or friend from a former company. LinkedIn also looks for degrees of separation - people who you know who know others - and suggests possible connections.

All these are people you can contact, bypassing the formal channels. Just do so carefully.

But don't stop there, and absolutely do not call and ask "Hey, can you give me a job?" said Stephanie Daniel with Keystone Partners, a Boston-based human resources consultancy.

"Get familiar with LinkedIn, learn the different features and take a look at good profiles of other people," she said. Invite people to join your network of contacts. But then start by being helpful - not needy.

"Say you're a mortgage banker looking for a new job," she said. "Find groups within LinkedIn for that market. People are often asking questions or seeking help with a speaking panel. So start a dialogue there, share your knowledge. That builds your online brand."

But don't "join and wait for the magic to happen," she said.

One caution: LinkedIn thrives by displaying connections between people, so think twice before asking a confidential connection to join your network.

Facebook

Even purely social Web sites such as Facebook can help with a job search, said David Schmier, a New York career coach and founder of GetHired.com.

It's best, though, not to start by posting an update like "Hey everybody, I got fired today. Anyone know of a cool job for me?"

The stigma of being laid off has faded amid the recession, but there are effective ways to present yourself without looking needy, Schmier said.

If you haven't started a profile on Facebook, start one, and look for connections to people you have worked with, Schmier said.

"Every study shows that 70 to 80 percent of the jobs people get come through networking," Schmier said. "But you bum them out by calling every three weeks and asking 'Do you know of a job for me yet?'"

But "be a giver, not a taker," he said. Call and ask for a few minutes to "pick your brain," Schmier said. Ask how their market is developing, where there are opportunities.

Later, consider how you can repay them - by sending them an article on the topic or by assembling a speaking panel and inviting them to present. Through such avenues, you may build a relationship with them, Schmier said, so they may tell you about an opportunity somewhere because you have been helpful to them.

Twitter

Twitter can play a role, too, even though it sends a maximum 140-character message.

Some company recruiters have Twitter feeds - Kmart at twitter.com/KmartJobs or Pepsi at twitter.com/PepsiCareers, for example.

Better yet, identify executives at those companies. Start following their messages on Twitter. If they mention they will be speaking at a conference, "absolutely sit in the front and approach them afterwards," Schmier said. "Tell them, 'I know you're busy now, but can I get a card and follow up with you later?'"

Sign up for Web sites such as SlideShare, where people often put copies of their presentations. That's worthwhile research.

If you're a subject expert, consider sending Twitter messages to build your online brand.

Scrub your profile

Before going too far into social media, scrub your profile.

Virtually every recruiter or human resource department scours online for information about applicants - in the beginning of a hiring process and as part of a formal background check. No company wants to hire someone who embarrasses himself online.

Look for anything about yourself that reflects poorly. Erase it.

"You'd be amazed how many job seekers still go on Facebook and post pictures of themselves drinking at Mardi Gras," Schmier said. It may seem like your own personal space online, but it's very public.