@360JobInterview.Com blog

We’re big advocates of utilizing the power of networking to help develop your career. Whether your goal is to find an starting position or move up a few, socializing and connecting with the right people is essential. It can even make or break you.

Let’s go over some key places available to you online that can really boost your network.

LinkedIn is the one site that you must add your resume to. Oh, and all of your past and present professional connections, as this is more than just a website, it is a social network.

By fully optimizing your LinkedIn profile, you will have a full, strong resume available online for viewing. There are even settings to change your public profile, the one that will come up in search results for those who are not in your network. It will build your image online, the one that you want there, as it usually becomes one of the top search engine results when searching for an individual’s name.

Hey job seekers, where were you last night? If you didn’t say, “out at a business networking event,” you may be missing out on opportunity. Meetup is a great online place to both host reoccurring networking events and find good ones to join.

Some of the greatest career advancements were made possible by a good word from the right person. To find those right people, it’s time to begin actively socializing. Meetup is the place to go if you’re looking to join a social or professional group of folks that share your interests, experience, and goals.

To use Twitter as a ‘micro-blogging’ site or a place to provide a general status update is a mistake if you’re hunting for a job. Twitter is quickly turning into a tool that is used to project a professional, yet personable, image. And, let’s face it, image counts for a lot when looking for the right job.

Twitter gives you real time information that could be useful to you for your intended career change. Find some suggested Tweeps to follow that can help with your job search here.

It is this former job seeker’s recommendation to avoid using websites like Myspace and Facebook to network for your career. While they’re great for interaction at the personal social level, leave it for your family and non-professional friends only. The details you will likely find yourself putting on there are not the first things you’d want a potential employer to see when reviewing you as a candidate. Get some more advice from the 360 pros with live career action planning. Good luck and happy networking!