Job hunting in a Web 2.0 World

Using Web 2.0 tools and Social Media for Business Networking

eHamerAssociatesLtdCareer and Performance Consultants

Re-cap of the basics of job hunting◦ Tried and true job hunting methods

What is Web 2.0? How is it different? Internet-assisted Networking

◦ Automating repetitive tasks◦ Reducing user effort◦ Improving user experience

Web 2.0 productivity tools

Social media: benefits and cautions

Knowledge of self is key

Be discriminating; don’t shoot at everything that moves

Don’t ‘settle’ for what you think you can get

Articulate soft skills and work achievements

60 – 70% of jobs are found through networking, or career marketing

Only 15 – 20% are the result of job ads

Recruiters serve their client – not you

Manage your time; focus on relationships

It’s not who YOU know, it’s who THEY know

Goal #1 – Expand your network meet with real people, face2face is best; phone is OK

Goal #2 – Probe for challenges, reveal needs

Goal #3 – Share ideas and expertise: establish credibility

1st tier network – huge overlap in contacts

2nd and 3rd tier – decreasing overlap

More, and more diverse contacts, that you don’t already know

More opportunities you’d otherwise never hear about

What you want to do,

How you aim to do it,

Where you want to do it, and:

How the employer will benefit

Tools for next generation Internet

Publish and subscribe technology Virtual collaboration technology File sharing technology Mash-ups – aggregation Smart online forms (AJAX)

Personalized information, delivered

Business clubs, job clubs, events◦ People you know – linking to new contacts◦ Mostly local, occasionally regional◦ Mostly peers

New phenomenon of social networking

◦ People you know – linking to new contacts◦ Local + regional / national / global◦ Peers + influencers and deciders

www.linkedin.com see: www.plaxo.com see: www.spock.com see:

Join groups

Subscribe to email lists and e-newsletters thru:◦ Professional association◦ Prolific bloggers in your field of interest◦ Company or University Alumni groups

Click on the “Branch Manager” Job Job Insider in action

What is it, and how can you use it?◦ Journal◦ Syndicated column◦ Web presentation◦ Serialized portfolio

Share with the world:◦ Your everyday experience (of job hunting)◦ Things you notice and have opinions about

(related to your expertise)◦ Raise awareness – increase your internet presence

Goal #1 – Expand your network Use professional networking sites

meet with real people, face2face is best; phone is OK

Goal #2 – Probe for challenges, reveal needsdo research, ask questions, show

interest Goal #3 – Share ideas and expertise:

establish credibilityBlog!

www.blogspot.com◦ Free, easy to set up, customizable look

www.wordpress.com◦ Free, easy to set up, upgrade to premium features

such as Webhosting, site translation, custom designs, allows

XML export of all content, add gadgets and widgets … Serious? Then get a domain name, buy

wCMS software (Expression Engine), build a blog-based site, brand it, host it , and away you go!

Blog often (daily or frequently, regularly) Find an authentic voice Link to articles of interest ‘Tag’ your blog posts with meaningful

search terms ‘Claim’ your blog on indexing sites such as

Technorati.com Not all about you – read other blogs and

create thoughtful comments on your blog, with links back to their blog

Job hunting is a more than full-time job: 50 - 60 hours/week

Dedicate at least 40% of your time to interpersonal contacts (networking) (20 - 25 hr/wk)

Remaining time◦ 1 hr/day check in to job sites◦ 1 hr/day check in to ‘10 most desired employers’◦ 2 hrs/day respond to selected postings◦ 1 hr/day updating profiles, inviting new contacts to your

network, setting up face2face meetings

Leaves 10+ hrs/week to blog!

Web developer◦ For instance: Roland Tanglao

blogs on employer’s site-and-

blogs on his own site and runs VanEats Significance:

◦ Showcasing his talents –and- his personality/style◦ Giving of yourself – sharing your expertise in

stories, photos, videos

Scott “The Content Wrangler” Abel◦ Technical writer – who started blogging about

content and managing it better

◦ Within 2 years: 25,000+ subscribers to the blog Developed entirely new career (conference and

event organizer) and established reputation as ‘the go-to guy’ – just by blogging (and doing it well and often)

Open a Google account: iGoogle home page◦ Page to aggregate information (from RSS feeds)

Google Docs & Spreadsheets◦ Web-based text and spreadsheet programs

Jott.com◦ toll-free number, leave msg for yourself◦ reminders sent both voicemail and email

Sandy: “the best EA you’ll never meet”◦ Keeps track of appointments, sends e-reminders

MeetingWizard: takes the pain out of coordinating meeting dates and times

MySpace.com◦ Popular with teens◦ Not appropriate for business/professional use

Facebook.com◦ Reputation for ‘college +’ level users◦ Check out groups: my search for “content

management” CM Pros link and another link

Flickr.com and YouTube.com◦ Not appropriate for business/professional use

(unless you’re a photographer/videographer)

Keep it professional – don’t risk employers finding potentially embarrassing material

If you need web-based mail, open a Gmail account – neutral and not riddled with spam

Add link to your LinkedIn profile to your email signature

Check what comes up when you google your own name – and check often

If you are smart about it, working the Web 2.0 way is ‘time well wasted’ not wasted at all

Understand the power of relationships◦ Connecting with new people is the most reliable

route to a satisfying job – and a rewarding career

◦ Nothing beats face-to-face meetings◦ Know what you want to discuss – and focus on

asking lots of leading questions – then listen the more you tell, the less you sell

Emma HamereHamer Associates Ltd., Career andPerformance Consultants

www.hamer-associates.ca

Tel: 604-317-2234