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Jobseekers Flock To Social Networking Sites

Posted on: Wednesday, 12 August 2009, 14:00 CDT

Social networking sites like Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter have drawn millions of users per day since the start of the recession as many web users have turned to these sites to aid their job search, Reuters reported.

These sites have transformed the job search process, enabling more and more people to connect with potential employers, promote their own skills, set up support groups and search for job leads and contacts.

Susan Joyce, editor of Job-Hunt.Org, a site offering online job search tips, said mobile technology and social networking have shifted the whole job search paradigm.

"You don't need to stay glued to your phone or computer at home anymore," she added.

Almost any job hopeful with a Web-connected phone or smartphone can now compose resumes, view job listings and contact prospective employers from virtually anywhere.

LinkedIn, a popular business networking site that lets users create a profile, list skills, work history, employment goals and contact details, is among the more secure ways to compile an online resume.

Joyce says users can even create their resume via Research in Motion's Blackberry device or Apple's iPhone.

She believes the LinkedIn Profile is really the resume of the future, as it is very popular among recruiters looking for good candidates.

The iPhone also sports a number of downloadable job-search applications, including one piloted by recruitment consultancy Harvey Nash.

A growing amount of job seekers have even begun using Twitter, the popular microblogging service that allows users to send 140-character messages at a time.

Candidates are increasingly "tweeting" or posting messages to outline their skills, experiences and career goals, as well as pasting links to their resumes. Others use Twitter to follow recruiters or companies of interest and learn of networking events.

Both Twitter and Facebook have helped jobseekers get job leads and tips on networking events that they otherwise might have missed.

Nilo Sarraf, who was recently laid off from Yahoo and formed a Silicon Valley online networking group called Layoffs Cafe, said social networking accounts have really helped people during these hard times.

“You have a much easier time finding job and networking events. And every time I go to one of these events, I add at least one connection,” she said.

Online support groups have also increased their online presence during the downturn, helping jobseekers find physical networking events in their area.

One such site, called LaidOffCamp, is an online component to offline events launched by Chris Hutchins, a former management and business strategy consultant in Silicon Valley.

Hutchins said his site focuses on organizing events for people who are unemployed. So far, he has seen about 11 “LaidOff Camps” set up around the country.

The events draw anywhere from 100 to 600 participants who attend panels on topics such as how to live on a budget, how to develop a personal brand and how to find a job in the current market.

He said if it weren't for social media and blogs, Laidoff Camp wouldn't exist, considering they’ve spent no money on marketing the events.

But privacy issues and the many recruiting, work-at-home, make-a-million and resume creation software scams are also risks for the unwary online jobseekers.

Sarraf said when you're doing a resume, people are being asked to provide a lot of personal information, such as where you live and your social security number.

“When someone is job hunting, they need to be careful. I know a lot of people who have been hurt by bogus resume companies,” she warned.

Source: redOrbit Staff & Wire Reports

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