Lots of professionals use social networking sites like Facebook and LinkedIn to network and connect with others personally and professionally. The downward spiraling economy has resulted in thousands of lost jobs. Participation on these sites has skyrocketed as a result.
Reaching beyond your direct network
“I think we have only just scratched the surface of using social networking for job hunting,” says Matt Hicks, a spokesperson for Facebook. “People are now going beyond their direct network and reaching that next layer of people that may have interest in getting a job with your company, but may be hard to reach through traditional media.
Job loss numbers are climbing
Many more people are out of a job now than this time last year, so obviously more people are looking. The plummeting stock market is what started the first wave of layoffs, leaving 533,000 people jobless during the month of November. The Department of Labor Statistics tell us that since December 2007, 2.7 million Americans have lost their jobs.
Get connected
In these troubled economic times, it’s more important than ever for people to stay connected with their personal and professional networks. Hicks explains, “It’s harder to find jobs and times are tough. People naturally want to stay in touch not only to find the next job, but even to get advice.”
