The Pretty and the Ugly Sides of Social Networks When Job Hunting
Landing yourself in the right job and setting yourself up for a successful career progression is a combination of skill and luck. No job is cast in stone, and it is not uncommon for people to switch jobs several times in a quest for professional and personal satisfaction that aligns with all of their requirements. Whether they are industry rookies or seasoned veterans, people have dream jobs they are always chasing.
There is no right or wrong answer to how many years a person should work in a position before considering a move. Despite the interviewing process, which can often be tough, people are willing to give companies a try when searching for better placements.
Connecting job seekers and employers was not a very dynamic and robust process in the past. There was a heavy reliance on job databases such as Monster.com and Dice.com, job fairs, and placement firms. These still exist today, but the question is whether they are as effective as they were a decade ago.
Among the benefits social networking has brought about is an important one—the professional networking it has empowered. LinkedIn is an excellent platform that has helped many people find jobs. It provides a great medium for employees, placement firms, and employers to connect and close on opportunities very quickly—and to some degree also validate a person’s professional background. Other platforms, such as Twitter and Facebook, help spread the word for employers and employees.
While the avenues these platforms open up are great, people who are not even thinking of a job change may also be contacted. These job suggestions can be distracting, especially to amateur employees who may now be compelled to look at frequent job changes. It may bring down their current job productivity. A recent survey says that about 50 percent of employees in the 18-34 age group are looking for new jobs while at work.
Keep in mind that when you leverage social networking for job hunting, the word gets out very quickly. You need to use the right practices, including the right branding for yourself, since you are your own job hunter. A badly advertised or used space can have a huge negative impact on your job search.
At the end of the day, it's best to find a balance in your job search when leveraging social platforms because they have both pretty and not-so-pretty sides.
