There are plenty of excellent resources to help you find a job, however, networking is still one of the most effective ways to get your foot in the door at a great company. It’s thought that up to 80 percent of jobs are filled through networking. The right person in your network may be able to directly connect you to a recruiter or a hiring manager for a great position. Here’s how to use your digital network to find a new job.
Ask your network for help
Before you take a single step to network with more people, consider that you likely already have a network that is ready to go to bat for you to help you find a great job.
Sound the alarm that you are currently looking for something new. While you don’t need to make a LinkedIn announcement or yell from the rooftops that you need a new job pronto, letting friends, family, and former coworkers know that you’re looking will get you some support in finding a new job.
Reach out to people in your network who are constantly talking about how much they love their jobs and see if they know about any openings. Your friend had a recruiter that got her a dream job? Ask for an introduction to that recruiter.
Those who are closest to you want to see you win, so give them an opportunity to reach down their pipeline for something that may be a fit for you. A friend with a little extra time can also help out with a job search, sometimes two heads are better than one when you’re digging through job boards.
Read more: How to Follow Up with a Recruiter at Any Point in the Interview Process
Use private social media groups
Facebook and other social media groups are a great way to network. Whether it’s parenting, politics, pilates, or Pokémon GO, there is a private group filled with people who “get you” who may also be the people in your network who can help you find a great job.
If your job search is secret, be mindful about what you’re sharing if you’re fearful about your search getting back to your current employer. Stick to smaller groups and make sure your coworkers aren’t also members.
Be sure that this is a group you’re already pretty active in. People are less likely to help those they’ve never heard from before, so this should be a group where you have a pretty good rapport.
Write a post sharing what you’re looking for. Be clear by sharing titles that you’re interested in, the areas you want to work in (or if you’d rather work remote), and even the salary you’re looking for. All of these will help your group support your search and do what they can to help you find a great opportunity.
Also, local social media groups will often have employees posting about open jobs at their company, so try a search in your local group for “now hiring.”
Read more: How to Network Without Feeling Gross
Using public Slack communities
Many have used the company communication platform, Slack, at work. But did you know that you can use public Slack communities to extend your network and help you find a job?
There are thousands of public Slack communities that you can join for free that are industry- and role-specific. I highly recommend the site Slofile to find communities that fit your professional profile.
When people know who you are, they’re more likely to be willing to help when asked. So, when you join a community, introduce yourself and get active. Share articles that people in your community may find interesting. Comment on posts and connect with community members on LinkedIn. Let people know about a job posting that may not have been a fit for you, but may be a fit for them.
Most of these groups have a channel for job opportunities posted by employees of the company who are looking for someone with your skillset, so check to see what’s being posted on that channel. Just like with a social media group, share a post describing the type of job that you’re looking for and share your resume or LinkedIn page.
Read more: The Worst Career Advice We (& You) Have Ever Gotten
