Social networking sites do double duty
MODESTO, Calif. — The old adage “It’s not what you know, but who you know” is unapologetically obvious on such social networking Web sites as Facebook and LinkedIn, where users are working connections to find job opportunities.
With job security on shaky ground, tech-savvy job seekers are using social networking sites to take advantage of their connections and their friends’ connections.
Although MySpace and Facebook have had widespread success, newer, more professional sites such as LinkedIn are increasingly popular. Professional sites help job seekers find openings through friends and friends of friends.
But that’s just one benefit, said Krista Canfield of LinkedIn, which is based in Mountain View, Calif.
“You can stay in touch with people who move around and switch careers. In this economy, people are moving around and looking for new opportunities,” she said.
But if a job is really what you seek, there’s a right way to find it on social networking sites — be open and honest, Canfield said.
“The first thing you should do is alert everyone you’ve been laid off and are looking for a job. Then forward your profile to people you think may be able to help you, like old bosses. That way they know what you’ve been up to,” she added.
Stanford University Sociology Professor Mark Granovetter agrees. The more people who know you’re looking for a job, the better your chances.
Networking sites are the newest platform for an old practice, said Granovetter. Between 50 percent and 70 percent of jobs are discovered through networking, according to Granovetter’s research.
“People find jobs through people they don’t know so well. I call it ‘the strength of weak ties.’ The people you’re close to talk to other people about your job search, and that helps you,” he said. “These sites help you keep track of people you might otherwise lose contact with, especially in today’s world. We move around more than we used to.”
Still, University of California at Davis career advisers urge students to network the old-fashioned way — face to face.
But even that is changing. Davis students recently used a speed-dating format to meet several potential employers in one night.
Students had a limited time with each employer before organizers called time and had students move on to the next employer. This form of speed networking gives students enough face time with professionals to learn how they got their jobs.
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