How we change what others think, feel, believe and do

Does Social Networking Really Work?

Guest articles > Does Social Networking Really Work?

by: Nancy Anderson

Many people use social networks such as Facebook for personal connections, but can that same connective power work for professional gains? The answer is yes. Social networks provide numerous benefits for job seekers in the IT field and help to distinguish candidates far beyond a simple resume. As information is presented in increasingly image-heavy and interaction-rich forums, ignoring the pervasive power of social media is a mistake that even a well-written resume simply can't erase. Discover how to use social networking to your career's advantage with the tips below.

The information technology sector and social networking are a natural pairing. Computing forms the channels through which social networking flows. Tech-based forums and social networks have been on the Internet since 1979 and are ideal places to search for and solicit IT professionals. Active participation in these forums and social sites provides job seekers with a solid online presence and, in turn, more credibility in the IT field. Additionally, tech-based companies like Google are far more likely to find promising applicants online than through old-fashioned methods like placing classified ads in newspapers.

Keeping an online presence through social networks enables users to deliver current information about their skills and credentials. The edit-friendly nature of online portfolios and profiles allow job seekers to reframe experience blurbs to appeal to a dream job or add new credentials on the go. This built-in flexibility automatically trumps a paper resume; higher-end IT jobs may keep applications on file for months or more without taking into account achievements gained in the interim. A well-prepared social networker will keep track of his or her professional profiles as they're created; this ensures that quick changes can be made to each profile if the need arises.

Social networking isn't just for an immediate job search; much of the success to be found on these networks comes from meeting peers in the field well before an active job search. Tough IT problems can be tackled with crowdsourcing, or making use of a network's collective expertise by presenting the problem in a post and soliciting advice. Job openings can hit friendly chats long before they're made public. Peeking into corporate culture at various companies is also much easier with a healthy network to read into.

When IT professionals turn to social networking to further their careers, they'll find that scaling the corporate ladder is quite a bit easier. If social media is used carefully and responsibly. No posting pictures from that raucous New Year's party, for instance. Your potential benefits to a new employer and your previous accomplishments will be amplified naturally if you network responsibly. If you're not sure where to start, follow the footsteps of successful IT professionals at Fortune 500 companies and head to the networks where they thrive.

Nancy Anderson is a member of the TrafficDepartment at Beyond.com, the world’s largest niche of career networks. We have thousands of sites and hundreds of channels including Information Technology.

www.Beyond.com. The World's Largest Network of Niche Career Communities. Thousands of Sites. Hundreds of Channels. One Network Visit us at www.Beyond.com to register for a free membership and go beyond traditional recruitment.

Contributor: Nancy Anderson

Published here on: 09-Dec-12

Classification: Communication

Website: