Facebook

A new study shows us that Generation Y members on Facebook have on average 16 colleagues as friends. The fact that 18 to 29-year olds use Facebook both socially and professionally is hardly surprising but it does give HR departments and recruiters a great way to leverage Facebook as a platform to hire new talent.

 
Dan Schawbel of Milennial Branding says “When they go home [generation Y], they are still connected to the workplace… Their co-workers are their friends. And because people change jobs so often and have so many friends, their friends become co-workers." (Quote from ERE.net.)

 
Some interesting stats from this study are that most Generation Y members on Facebook list their education (80%), whilst only about a third (36%) list their current job on their profile. The fifth most common job title happens to be "owner" - perhaps a sign of the current economic climate where many people are freelancing or managing a portfolio career.

 
In terms of friend count, yes the Gen Y users on Facebook are friends with an average of 16 work mates but that is a very little number in proportion to their total number of friends which is a staggering 696 on average. If anything, this proves that young professionals are 'open networkers' on Facebook and connect with most people they know, not just friends. The question is really: Will they connect with recruiters?

More on Facebook at How To Search for Jobs on Facebook (Infographic).

The eternal task of finding a job has undergone a couple of huge transformations in the past few years. Around the turn of the millenium, Craigslist revolutionized the job hunt by taking a city’s worth of classified sections and condensing them into a single, easy-to-navigate web page. Now job hunting is undergoing another big shift – this time into the world of social media.
 
A new breed of work searchers – call them ‘social job seekers’ – are utilizing the big social networks in ingenious ways in order to find their dream jobs, and so far they’re having great success. It turns out, the more you use a social network, the more likely you are to find a job through the service: 1 in 4 ‘super social seekers’ successfully network through Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn. This infographic from MBAOnline.com clarifies how you can search for jobs on Facebook and other social media tools.
 
Be sure to check out 5 Ways To Use Facebook for Job Search as well.

Image credit MBAOnline.com

Social media has is playing a vital role in boosting job search. Are you too benefiting from the popular social networking tools that have become a rage these days? Well, not only jobseekers but employers as well are garnering the benefits of social media for finding suitable candidates. Among other social media platforms, Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn are the three most popular social networking websites that you can use to boost your job searching process. To make the most of these social networking tools, you need to be informed of the strategic ways for networking your way into a job or career of your interest.

Given below are some important tips on how to use social media for maximum benefit in your job search. Have a look.
 

Let People Know You Are Searching for a Job

  
It is a good idea to keep people in your network informed that you are looking for a job. It’s even better to let them know what type of job you are looking for. Whether you are using Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn, tell people that you in search of a job position. If you keep them informed, they will keep you in mind and tell you as soon as a new position opens up. The job information that you get from your contacts can really boost your job search.
 

Don’t Be Afraid of Networking with Friends on Facebook

 
As compared to social media websites like Twitter and LinkedIn, Facebook happens to be more powerful when it comes to connecting with friends, co-workers and colleagues. Friends that know you on Facebook will be more helpful in finding you a job you are looking for or providing you with some valuable job related information. Spend some good networking with friends on Facebook.
 

After a while when you hear something over and over again, it starts to sound like the truth. And I keep hearing this same "truth" about Facebook. That it is a lousy place to network. Usually from job seekers frustrated with what they perceive as the "Had a turkey sandwich for lunch" update blather for which Facebook is so famous.