Job Hunting – Is It Who You Know or What You Know?

By Vahid Behzadi on August 30, 2011

There are millions of job seekers on professional and social networking sites like LinkedIn, Google+ and Facebook, but how many people are actually landing jobs through their personal or professional connections? With these social sites, you are encouraged to make connections with friends from college, people you know around the office and coworkers you’ve worked with and for in the past.

So the question is: Is it who you know or what you know that will help get you hired? In the world of professional recruiting, where I’m tasked to find candidates with very specific skillsets for my clients, knowing the right people makes a big difference. So while leads on job openings often come to me from a personal or professional network, including LinkedIn, they’re not the only way I go about finding new opportunities for individuals like you who are searching for the next great job.

Networking has helped me and countless others get in the door, and, conversely, there are candidates who I’ve worked with that I can reach out to when appropriate roles are available that match their particular backgrounds. But ultimately it’s the experience and how you’ll contribute to your new company that’s going to get you hired. I might know the best IPhone Developer in Dallas but if I don’t have an open position for an IPhone developer, then it won’t matter who I know. Conversely, I could find you a great job as a PHP Software Engineer at the next big start-up in San Francisco, but if you don’t have the right skillset and the start-up attitude then you most likely won’t get the job, even if I was best friends with the CEO of the company.

So how should you leverage your network, skills and job hunting instincts to land a job? CareerBliss explores how each has its place in the job hunting process.

• Getting behind the velvet rope. There are easy ways to take advantage of social networking to boost your opportunities. Look to Facebook to build your personal network for job opportunities. Don’t be shy about letting your friends and family know you’re currently in the job market and what you specialize in. You might be surprised at who they know or decision makers they can put you in touch with through their personal connections. Plus, more and more people are sharing their company job postings on Facebook so remember to keep a sharp eye out in between playing FarmVille and Bejeweled Blitz. Aside from connecting with past and most recent coworkers on LinkedIn, don’t forget to lookup old college friends, classmates, fraternity brothers and sorority sisters. Here’s an example of how I used social media to build my network. As a graduate from the University of California, Santa Barbara, I’m now a member of the Alumni Network and alumni associate on LinkedIn. I am able to connect directly with other alumni members for free and build job leads through those relationships.
• Putting your skills to work for you. Sure, you’ve got the right experience and skills, but how would hiring managers and your professional network know that? Spend as much time branding yourself online as you do on your resume. Update your profile frequently with new skillsets and achievements on LinkedIn. Also take the opportunity to share your most recent work activities or your professional blog. Not only will it convey that you’re a true master in your field, it’ll also keep you more visible via LinkedIn update feeds. When you can, contribute to online discussions by offering your professional opinions and valuable resources to your peers. They’ll remember who to go to next time for advice or even for a job.
• Sharpening your instincts. Using self-promotion and network will help get you in the door. Convincing the hiring manager that you’re the right candidate, the right fit will get you the job. Before any interview takes place, it’s critical that you spend time researching the company in advance. Sure you can read about the company vision, latest product offerings and executive bios on their website, but how do you get the real inside scoop? Candidates that I’ve successfully placed have done their homework by reading company reviews and asking employees questions about the interview questions, culture, leadership, work-life balance, etc. Not only will you discover whether or not this is the right company for you, it’ll help you better prepare for the job interview.