The social media revolution has taken Hawaii — and the rest of the world — by storm. As we all know, it’s not just the kids who spend hours communicating with their friends. Facebook and Twitter also have become the domains of just about everyone.
OK, so let’s cut to the chase. Suppose you are looking for work. Is there a way to leverage your social media networks to get a job?
Don Mangiarelli, founder of Enterprise Technology Solutions, an information technology and social media consulting company out of Kailua, said the answer is a resounding yes.
His favorite job search vehicle is LinkedIn (www.linkedin.com). This popular site connects you to people you know and allows you to connect with anyone else on the network. You create a detailed résumé on the site, including employment (current and past), education, industry, websites, etc.
Once you’ve got your profile set up you can use the network to find out where people with your background are working, get recommendations from colleagues to build up your bona fides, and get the word out.
You also can zero in on a specific company that you may be interested in and find people at the company who are connected to other people you know. Many companies will post jobs on LinkedIn, which allows you to search for jobs on the site.
Another cool thing about LinkedIn is that it will index your profile based on your experience and automatically push job recommendations your way.
LinkedIn also has a number of local professional groups that you can join and tap. For example, "Linkin Hawaii" (www.linkedin.com/groups/Linkin-Hawaii-113123/about) has thousands of members, many of whom post job openings. As a member of the group, you can let members know you’re looking for a job and get involved in the online conversation by posting blogs or tips.
Dan Leuck, founder of Ikayzo, a leading Honolulu-based Web developer, suggests that job seekers blog about subjects that illustrate their expertise. He says this allows employers to see whether you have something interesting to say and whether you’re a good communicator. Leuck says he’s hired three people locally just from the quality of their blogs.
Facebook is another tool. It’s a personal network, so you can utilize it to ask friends whether they know of a job opening and keep your status updates current. Given that the average user has about 125 friends, it doesn’t take long, says Mangiarelli, to expand your network exponentially.
You also can use Facebook to search for groups and pages that line up with your interests. For example, you can follow the UH alumni group and post on its wall to ask for job leads or introductions that could help you land something.
The main thing, says Mangiarelli, is to "be proactive." Social media can act as your calling card and give you a competitive advantage in the marketplace. For an unemployed person, a competitive advantage comes in handy.
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Mike Meyer, former Internet general manager at Oceanic Time Warner Cable, now manages IT for Honolulu Community College. Reach him at mmeyer@hawaii.edu.
