Job Searching with Social Media For Dummies
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The average time for keeping a job in the United States is two years, which means you may be packing up and looking for a new boss every couple of years. In the traditional job-search paradigm, you’d simply restart your networking, résumé writing, and other job-hunting efforts at each interval. However, these days, such a start-stop approach is inefficient and impractical.

Just because you have a job doesn’t mean you can slack on networking and maintaining your outgoing professional image. You may need your network before you know it. Incomplete LinkedIn profiles are bad because one day those people will need a strong network to catch them. Neglecting their profile also means they haven’t extended themselves to help others in need. One day they will seriously regret the oversight.

Following are some tips to help you keep up with or expand your network, whether you’re employed or not:

  • Update your network regularly, either with LinkedIn status updates, Facebook posts, or occasional e-mails. These updates can be as simple as sharing links to articles you’ve read or news about your professional life.

  • Keep your online profiles current so your network knows what you’re up to. Doing so is just a common courtesy that you probably also expect from others.

  • Continue to invite new people to connect with you. As your network grows, so does your influence and value. If you’re employed, use your status to help others find work or make connections.

About This Article

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About the book author:

Joshua Waldman, MBA, is an authority on leveraging social media to find employment. His writing has appeared in Forbes, Huffington Post, Mashable, and the International Business Times. Joshua's career blog, CareerEnlightenment.com, won the About.com Readers' Choice Award for Best Career Blog 2013. Joshua presents keynotes, trainings, and breakout sessions around the world for students, career advisors, and professional organizations.

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