Social Media and the MBA Job Search – Does It Really Matter?
October 13, 2009 by Lisa Cummings
Filed under Blog, Career Choices
Written by Amy Vander Voort
Well, it must, or I wouldn’t be here on IAMBA! Social media marketing is a new concept for me and certainly new to me as a job search tactic. Both LinkedIn and Plaxo allow users to post updates and news feeds, and although I see the postings from my colleagues and groups, I have never tried it myself.
When IAMBA contacted me in July 2009, I thought, great idea! I have become more aware of how important it is to stay in front of your contacts, particularly during a job search. When I sent my appeal email in June, many people responded to say they didn’t know I was still looking.
I realized, at that time, I needed to do better job of keeping everyone updated on my status. With approximately 400 personal and professional contacts, that can be a big job! The idea is to be visible, so that someone thinks of you when they hear of an opening. This can be via sending out articles, starting a discussion, etc.
I always wondered what I could possibly have to say that others would want to know about on a regular basis. Well, the job search topic seems to strike a chord in many people. Most professionals are being affected by economy, through company lay-offs, lowered demand for products and services or increased workloads for existing employees. My IAMBA postings are a reminder that I am still looking and I’m offering something to the business community in the interim.
Bloggers beware! Not all the comments you will receive will be helpful to you. You are putting yourself out there and that invites criticisms, too. Keep the big picture in mind—you are getting increased exposure and that is critical to your job search.
It’s free and you have time on your hands, so why not give it a try? I have already received a deluge of LinkedIn connection requests, emails from colleagues and yes, job referrals. Could this be the “tipping point” for my search?
-Amy
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Amy:
You are doing a really good job, keep it up. This is something that I’m encouraging my readers to do … it’s what I refer to as “becoming a leader” and is key to establishing your personal brand.
Establishing your personal brand signals to potential employers that you’re a trusted resource.
Here is my series on the same topic: http://www.it-career-coach.net/series/become-a-leader/.
My lead article on the topic is called “Become a Leader and Get The Job You Want”: http://www.it-career-coach.net/2009/07/21/become-a-leader-and-get-the-job-you-want/
Amy, would you like to publish an article for our readers on (www.it-career-coach.net) on how putting yourself out there and staying in front of your contacts using blogging has created a deluge of “LinkedIn connection requests, emails from colleagues and job referrals”?
Thanks,