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Posted by: Matt Wilson |
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This is a guest post by Chandlee Bryan Executive Resume Writer & Career Coach at Best Fit Forward. Chandlee helps people land a job you love. Follow Chandlee on Twitter @Chandlee. My questions for Chandlee:
How can Generation Y use social networking to better their chances of winning that dream job, rather than hurting it? Who’s teaching this stuff?
There is no one size fit all approach to social networking: Virtually everyone needs to monitor and make sure their online presence is free of digital dirt, but not everyone needs to create a distinct personal brand.
Knowing how you are tagged on Facebook or how you’ll be found on other websites is crucial: According to a 2008 survey conducted by ExecuNet, over 86% of recruiters conduct Internet research on candidates, 44% say that they have eliminated a candidate based on what they’ve found online.
The easiest way to monitor your online presence is to set up a Google News Alert–news.google.com–on your own name. (Once you do this, you’ll be notified when you are “in the news.”)
That being said, but deciding on when and how to use social networking on purpose is largely personal choice. In some fields, (especially in PR, marketing, and communications positions) smart use of social media across platforms (from websites, LinkedIn, and Visual CV to Twitter and Facebook) can help you land a job. In other industry sectors–especially those which require “security clearance,” use of social media can hinder your job search. In essence: knowing how “out there” to be is an increasingly important component of the process.
Who’s teaching this stuff? The answer to this question is rapidly changing to keep pace with exponential growth (LinkedIn’s user base has doubled since September; Twitter grew over 130% in March alone). I think you can now find social media training virtually everywhere, my “go to sites” include ChrisBrogran.com and any materials by Jason Alba, author of “I’m on LinkedIn, Now What?” and co-founder of JibberJobber.com
What’s the best place to network if you are looking for a mentor?
A great mentor isn’t just a “yes” person, it’s also a person who will challenge you by asking you thought-provoking questions and help you address your weaknesses. Finding a committed mentor can be challenging and isn’t always a straight-forward process.
I just finished reading Keith Ferrazzi’s new book “Who’s Got Your Back?” and think it contains the best synopsis of how to find a mentor that I’ve ever seen. In addition to providing information on how to find a mentor, the book also provides good suggestions on how to develop Lifelines–the friends who will challenge and support you as peers. Check it out.
What’s your number one tip for people looking to sell themselves?
Learn what your audience wants first, then align your pitch to answer needs–if you can. Above all, be true to yourself. If you interview well but land in the wrong job–it doesn’t help anyone.
