How business and social networking sites are changing the way we find jobs

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'70% of successful job searches depend on personal contacts' -Career Development Center of Hollins University.
The above fact emphasizes the need for having and creating personal contacts and networking. In an age, where job seekers outnumber the available jobs, it has become imperative to be at the right place at the right time. But how will you know where to be at and at what time? Someone has got to inform you. And this is where 'networking' assumes importance.

1 k; W: B# R# ^( T% A5 ]- I; bNetworking is not a new age phenomenon. The Western world came to know about Indian spices through networking. Trade between the Indus valley civilization and Mesopotamia can be attributed to networking.   

The rise of the Internet saw the traditional avatar of networking donning new clothes. While traditional networking allowed making contacts via our acquaintances, online networking allows us to contact people with whom we share something in common. For e.g., online networking allows you to contact someone who shares the same hobby as you or is engaged in the same profession. You can directly approach the person on your own.

The Internet has also led to an increase in the networking phenomena as it offers instant connectivity. All it takes is browsing through a few web pages and one can reunite with school chummies; get reconnected with old colleagues and what more even find out what happened to one's ex-flame.

Business and social networking sites are changing the way of searching and finding the latest vacancies that exist. More and more people are logging into the virtual world and making appropriate connections to land that dream job. According to comScore Media Metrix social networking site MySpace.com registered record 50 million visitors in May. It also grew by 318% between February 2005 to February 2006.
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Thus, business and social networking sites are witnessing a phenomenal growth rate. But how are business and social networking sites changing the way we find jobs? Social networking makes sure that you are among the first who gets the whiff of the latest job posted. Networking allows the easy and free flow of information. It also makes sure that the information is forwarded at a lightning speed. For e.g. you are a resident of Kentucky looking out for a job as a paralegal. You comb the local newspapers, swamp innumerable law firms with your resumes and make sure that your profile is visible on all job sites that you can possibly think of. And the result- you are still looking for a job. And then a miracle takes place. You are registered with one of the social networking sites. Among your many contacts is an acquaintance with whom you have befriended just because you both are diehard fans of the LA Lakers. He knows about your quest for a job. One day he mails you that his sister's brother-in-law has a vacancy- they are a legal firm who are in need of a paralegal. Two days later, you are going out for what will be the first day of work. This is the power of online networking.

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Business networking sites allow you to get in touch with high-end executives and business professionals. It is often noticed that many times jobs are not advertised. They are filled in through recommendation and referrals. Business networking sites allow you to get in touch with people who are directly involved in the decision making process. Many business-networking sites allow one to paste profile and get connected to people who share the same skill or who are employed in the same profession. These connections can be successfully harnessed to get a job.
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/ T5 g( E: o$ RNetworking also helps one stay in tune with the demands of the industry. For e.g. you are a software engineer, currently working on .net platform. You are a member of a social and business-networking site. A high school friend of yours, [with whom you got reconnected through a social networking site] who is also a recruitment consultant informs you that nowadays the focus has started shifting to Java. An IT expert in your business-networking site confirms this fact. Now, you can start upgrading your skill set, so that you can get a bigger pay packet.

Many networking sites also offer offline events. Attending such events is a good way to create new relationships with people who can help you in further career advancements. Networking sites also give an opportunity to contact people who can answer career related queries.

7 m; l9 L1 B: Z+ G" |; rSome networking sites also give opportunity for people to write endorsements about those with whom they have worked. This recommendation can be used for getting better job opportunities. Also there are many business-networking sites that focus on a particular field, industry or profession. Making connections with people who are from the same industry or profession allows one to remain aware of the latest job vacancies; trends and changes taking place in the job market that will help to steal march over others. This is because online networking lets one foster relationships with innumerable people and who can say, when one of them will help us strike gold?
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Many business-networking sites also post jobs on their sites. So, you get one more online option to look out for jobs, i.e. in addition to the job portals. Online networking also helps you to build relationships before you can actually ask for a job. And that too without facing the recruiter. It is always better to break the ice in the virtual world before meeting in the real world. This is particularly beneficial to people who are somewhat apprehensive about talking to strangers.
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1 x1 T7 ^' ?! W1 M4 V; Z2 I# b2 JMany of the recruiters also use networking sites for finding out potential employees. In an interview, there is always a chance of the candidate lying about his capabilities, though, the availability of sophisticated software and the various developments taking place in the HR field makes it very easy for the recruiter to spot the lies. In an online networking site, the relationship is established and trust is built over a period. Hence, the recruiter is able to decide the true capabilities of a person. This is also perhaps the reason why more and more recruiters are choosing the 'networking' way instead of posting jobs online.

" S" e  E: G7 \3 Z; u, y7 XBusiness and networking sites are thus revolutionizing the way people are getting jobs. More and more people are becoming aware of the power and benefits of online networking. Online methods should be judiciously combined with traditional methods to make sure that you do bag that coveted job.