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Social Networking & the Job Search – It’s Not Just About the Numbers

Posted on 05. Apr, 2009 posted by Bill in Employment News

Are you like so many other job seekers…on the desperate hunt for more followers and more connections on all the social media networking sites? After all, the more you have, the more you increase your odds of finding a job faster, right?

And certainly the blogosphere is replete with job search advice telling you that social networking is the hot new trend that separates job seekers into two camps: those with connections and those without. And those with the most connections…win?

Aah, so we’re faced with the old quantity versus quality debate once again. Is more really better (or at least as good)? Or maybe in the case of a job search, the better way to phrase the question is as follows: Is popularity on these sites more effective?

Here’s my take:

We all know the old saying that goes something like this: It’s the quality, not the quantity, that matters. Unfortunately, in our society today, that concept has often been lost. We like to talk a lot about quality in all aspects of our lives, from Six Sigma and ITIL quality methodologies in the marketplace to “quality time” with our children and family to quality health/lifestyle practices.

All of this talk is really nice to say and could not be better said; the problem is that quality takes time to nurture, and we live in a fast-paced, want-it-now culture. So how can you truly have quality relationships, products, and lifestyles when you are expecting everything instantaneously?

I used to have a friend who would always say “Fast food isn’t good, and good food isn’t fast.”

When it comes to social networking (or face-to-face networking, for that matter), the same principle applies.

You can rush to build up as many connections as possible, but that doesn’t mean that they will be all that helpful to you. And then you have wasted precious job search time. On the other hand, having the best quality connections makes your job search that much more effective, but it takes time to cultivate.

So what is a job seeker to do? Remember that networking is productive, but you must be strategic about it. Once you’ve tapped into your personal network, begin building connections on social networks with niche people who specialize in your area, have great resources to offer, and provide you with connections to other valuable professionals. Look for group job hunting social networks where you can connect with other job seekers who can profit from your network and vice versa. These methods lead to quality networking results.

Are they fast? No, but neither is the alternative. So you might as well do it right. Besides, establishing a strong network is not just good for this search, but it can be a long-term benefit as well. So in the end, quality wins.

So who am I anyway? Why do I think my advice is so valuable?

My name is Stephen Van Vreede. My company is called No Stone Unturned, and I have spent 15 years on both sides of the corporate hiring experience. The short story is that I have an MBA in Marketing from Villanova University and a dual B.S. degree in Finance & Logistics from the University of Maryland. I am a certified professional resume writer (CPRW) and a member of the Professional Association of Resume Writers and Career Coaches (PARW/CC). As I mentioned, I paid my dues in the corporate world eventually running a large-scale call center for a major truck rental company, and I have spent the past 7 years with No Stone Unturned, assisting job seekers in achieving their goals. In February 2009, I launched a new group job hunting networking site: NoddlePlace.com. It is absolutely FREE to join, and you have access to everything on the site. Come check it out at NoddlePlace. You can also follow me on Twitter.

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