Social media becoming a must for the job search

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

Those are long odds for one person hoping for just one job.

So career counselors increasingly tell their clients to use social media Web sites as part of their job search. Use sites like 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 now 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 own careers.

And more job recruiters are looking to LinkedIn instead of huge career sites like 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 your current contacts from your Gmail, Yahoo or Outlook account. LinkedIn then looks for connections at Pepsi, or virtually any other company you wish.

You may already 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 just 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."

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

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

Facebook:

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

Just don't start by posting an update like "Hey everybody, I got fired today. Anyone know a cool job for me?"

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

If you haven't already started a profile on Facebook, start one, and start looking 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. Don't just call and ask for a job. Instead call and ask for a few minutes to "pick your brain," Schmier said. Ask how their market is developing, where there are opportunities.

Later, think how you can repay them – by sending them an article on the topic, or by assembling a speaking panel and inviting them to present. Over time, you may build a relationship with them, Schmier said, so they may call and tell you about an opportunity somewhere, because you've been helpful to them.

Twitter:

Twitter can play a role too, even though it only sends 140-character-or-less messages.

Some company recruiters have their own Twitter feeds, like Kmart at twitter.com/KmartJobs, Pepsi at twitter.com/PepsiCareers or IBM in the United Kingdom at twitter.com/IBMUKCareers.

Better yet, identify individual executives at those companies. Start following their messages on Twitter. If they mention they'll 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?'"

Note: Sign up for Web sites like SlideShare where people often put copies of their presentations. That's worthwhile research.

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

But before going too far into social media, make sure you scrub your own profile.

Virtually every recruiter or human resource department now scours online for information about every applicant – both in the beginning of a hiring process, and as part of a formal background check. No company wants to hire someone who embarrasses themselves 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.