I came across a great article today that's in line with some of the networking principles I believe in. It focuses on social media, not necessarily how to use it, but why to use it. The undertones are pretty clear to me though: use your network, and use social media as a tool.
As you know, I firmly believe that social media will never replace face-to-face networking; however, it's an excellent supplement that should not be ignored. This is a topic that I've mentioned before in a post from June 2009. While social media has grown in the past few years, so have my views on its importance. Face-to-face networking is key, but social media can go hand in hand with it. The article gives some interesting figures which show that social recruiting is where many recruiters and employers are now investing their time and money when it comes to recruiting new talent. As social media continues to evolve and impact the professional world, employers and recruiters will continue to utilize this tool. The article (which as always is linked above) is definitely worth your read.
By far the most compelling line in the article is almost mentioned in passing. The author states the following, "the Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that up to 85 percent of career opportunities go unadvertised, which means that you have to use your network." I cannot stress the importance of networking enough. There are opportunities out there. There are employment and business opportunities all around, you just have to know how to find them. Often, that means being in the right place at the right time, but it's more than that. You have to put yourself at that right place at the right time. That's where your network comes into play. The key is to be patient and persistent. Networking is most effective when done all the time, not just when you need it. Your goal should be to stay in the front of someone's mind. When an opportunity crosses their desk, you want to be the first person they think of. Social networking is an excellent way to help accomplish that, by using it to keep more regular contact than you usually would.
I take the time once every few weeks to go through my contacts so I can effectively "water my garden." I scan through them to see who I haven't talked to in a while and to reach out to a few of them. Now, more and more, instead of browsing my outlook contacts, I'm scanning my Linkedin contacts. So, with that, read the linked the article, think about and take note of the different ways social networking and social media can supplement your network.
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