5 Ways To Get A Job Using Your Personal Network And Social Media

5 Ways To Get A Job Using Your Personal Network And Social Media If youre looking for a job, chance are that someone, somewhere will tell you that you need to network. While there is absolutely nothing wrong with networking, that term conjures up the unfortunate mental image of going to a college alumni event, wearing a nametag and holding a cheap glass of white wine in your hand while trying to strike up awkward conversations with a perfect stranger with their own name-tag and security beverage.Here are five ways to avoid (or at least postpone) that kind of networking1. Ask Your Network to Introduce You To Smart, Connected People.When people say they got a job through someone they knew most of the time, they are not being literal. In other words, its not usually your first-degree connections that hire you. After all, those people are your aunt or uncle, or friend from college. However, its not uncommon for your personal network to be connected to someone else that is going to make a hire. Reach out to people in your personal network to tell them youre looking for a job and would like to meet smart, connected people they know who might have advice to give you. If youre focused on a specific industry or job role that youre breaking into, you can be more specific and ask for introductions to people who will share a bit about their career path with you. Its more natural and easier to break the ice to get someone to take a meeting to share knowledge with you rather than set something up for the purpose of a directly asking them to help you get a job.2. Dont Just Follow Develop Relationships Via Social Media.You can use Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook here. Employers increasingly have a career presence on social media and understand that they will attract candidates through these channels. You can comment, like, retweet, and share content in buchen to build a social media relationship with your target connections. If your list is long (and ambitious) enoug h, and you have quality interactions, you will be surprised at both (a) how much you will learn about your prospective job, industry and employer but also (b) how one day someone will respond to your Direct Message/Inmail/Comment about a job opening that you are interested, or an idea you have for the companys business.3. Become the Connector. In Real-Life and Online.It might sound absurd to add another to do to your plate while youre already busy enough trying to get hired. But sometimes the most effective path to a goal is not linear.. In other words, use your new social media relationships and newly developed acquaintances to suggest connections for others. They are doing you a favor by spending time thinking about your job needs, or reading your social media content. Do them a favor in return by giving them ideas or new people to get to know (or follow, if this is a virtual relationship). This also makes it more likely that you and your needs (a new job) stays more top-of-mind i n a couple weeks when the memory of your belastung coffee meeting has faded into the background. You want to stay relevant and one way to expand your relevance is to bring new people - followers, connections, resources, etc -- into these peoples lives. 4. Prepare Yourself to be Shameless.Last but not least, broadcast your intentions. It may sound obvious, but nobody is a mind reader. If youre using your personal network and social media to get your next job, that means you should not be dropping hints or beating around the bush. Tell your friends, family, ex-colleagues, and reasonably familiar acquaintances that you are looking for a job. Send them an email with the words Im looking for a new job written clearly and at the beginning of the note.. And tell them again if you need to remind them over coffee or lunch As difficult as it may be for those of you who instinctively hold things close to the vest, this is no situation for shyness or subtlety.5. Dont Stop Doing This When You Ge t a JobIf youre about to land the job youve been wanting (or even a stop-gap, temporary gig while you keep looking for the one), dont think that all the new relationships and social media effort goes on ice. Getting a job seems like a short-term goal, but with the average job tenure being less than 5 years these days for millennials, there is nothing one off or temporary about your job search. Face it the situation is that most professionals these are days are almost all in a near-perpetual state of looking for their next role. Sure, you can tone down the rate of your emails and informational coffee meetings, and be less active on social media, but you should be wary of abandoning everything youve invested in. You never know when the next opportunity is going to come your way, and you dont want towaituntil youre absolutely in a bind to start up that old engine again. Think of these efforts as a fitness routine for your career. You would never quite let things go entirely, even if yo uve hit a short-term weight loss goal so why stop cold-turkey when it comes to your career?A version of this article was originally published on Elle.comFairygodboss is committed to improving the workplace and lives of women.Join us by reviewing your employer