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Make sure to market yourself as an individual, valuable employee or candidate and part of the industry through social networking. Social networking is one of the most prominent resources in keeping contacts up to date, and branding yourself in the market. Some websites you may want to check out are LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter.Here are some dos and don'ts:
The following tips by:
By Alison Doyle, About.com Guide
Do Create an Online Presence
When you're looking for a job or positioning yourself for career growth, it's important to have an online presence where you can showcase your skills and experience. Your online profiles will also help you connect with contacts who can expedite your job search and assist you with moving up the career ladder.
Do Be Consistent
Does the employment history on your resume match what's on your LinkedIn profile? Does the information you have on your Facebook page (if it's public) match up with the information you have elsewhere online? It's fine if you rework your job descriptions, for example, because targeting your resume is a good thing when applying for job. What's not okay is if your job titles, companies, and dates don't jive. That's a red flag for prospective employers.
Don't Get Fired
Employers are checking out candidates on Facebook, Twitter, and other social media sites. If you post it, I guarantee someone will read it and that very well could be the wrong person i.e. a hiring manager. Posting company business (good or bad) and posting inappropriate information on Facebook is just a couple of examples of what can get you in trouble, or even cost you your job, especially when you do it from work.
Do Network Before You Need To
Build your network well in advance of when you need it. Make connections in your industry and career field. Follow career experts. Talk to your contacts on Twitter or the other networking sites. Join Groups on LinkedIn and Face book, post and join the discussion. Be engaged and proactive in your communications. By building a network in advance, you won't have to scramble if you unexpectedly lose your job or decide it's time to move on.
Do Give to Get
In a nutshell, give to get. Networking works both ways - the more you are willing to help someone else, the more likely they will be to help you. Take some time every day to reach out to your connections. Write a recommendation on LinkedIn; offer to introduce them to another connection, share an article or news with them. Giving to get really does work - your connections are more likely to return the favor when you've offered to help them.
Don't Spend Time Online on Your Boss's Dime
The temptation, of course, when you're job searching is to spend time looking at job postings, perhaps uploading your resume to apply, talking to contacts, or posting about the trials and tribulations of your job search on Face book page. If you were to do that, you certainly wouldn't be the first (or the only) person to do so. Many people job search from work, but given the way companies monitor employees it's not wise to use your work computer or email account for job searching. Or, if you do, be really careful how you do it.
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