Not so networked after all

26 May 2009

Not so networked after all

Social networking sites were hailed a great new job search tool, but it seems candidates are yet to agree.

In a survey of over 150 New Zealand job seekers by specialist recruiter Hays, almost one in two said social networking sites do not help their career development.

One in three said they help to keep up with contacts, while less than one in five said they help to find out about new jobs.

``It seems social media has not been as widely adopted as a job search tool as some pundits claimed it would be,’’ said Jason Walker, Managing Director of Hays New Zealand.

``Almost half of those currently job seeking still prefer to keep their social media sites for just that - social interaction - rather than as a tool to assist in their professional job search.

``But while candidates still want to keep their social life and their professional life very separate, the potential does remain to use social media to a job seeker’s advantage.

``The issue however for some candidates seems to be that if they’ve been slow on the update of social media, it can seem an overwhelming unknown to conquer when they are suddenly looking for a new job.

``For example, do you start with a Facebook site, register with Twitter, go straight to LinkedIn or start a Blog?

``What’s important though is not where you start, but how you communicate. If you decide to use social media as part of your job search, then our advice is to remember it is just another way to market yourself. Like an online job board or emailing your resume to a recruiter, you need to keep your communications professional and focused on your skills and experience.

``Similarly to a traditional networking event, social media can be a good tool to build new professional contacts. Then just like follow-up networking functions, you can use your social media to stay in touch and remind your contacts you are looking for a role.

``For example, you could post a ‘note’ on Facebook, but make sure it has an interesting point. So rather than simply saying you are looking for work, you could instead comment on an interview you had that day, or a job you’ve seen advertised. Give people an opening to continue the communication.

``But perhaps the most beneficial way to use social media in your job search is to research a company to help you tailor your application or to prepare you for interview. For example, you can search a particular company via LinkedIn and find contacts that might already work there or know someone else who does.

``A word of warning though – social media is increasingly used by potential employers as a reference checking tool. So ensure your communications remain professional because you don’t know who could read what you tweeted about last month! Be aware of your digital footprint,’’ Jason Walker said.

The full survey results were:
New Zealand (157 respondents)
Yes, they help to keep up with contacts – 33.76%
Yes, they help to find out about new jobs – 17.2%
No – 49.04%

ends

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