One of the ways to get and stay out of debt is of course, to have a good steady paying job.  If you don’t have a job, your bills pile up and even if you have savings, for most people the panic sets in. If you’ve been laid off recently, it probably took you about a half a second to realize the market is incredibly tough out there.  And how much things have changed – even from last year.

Over the past 10 years, using the Internet was a given.  The job sites Dice.com, Jobing.com and Monster.com were industry standards. In the dot com craziness days, if your resume showed that you could spell the word “programming”, you’d be flooded with job offers. Even in the past two years, an impressive resume on these sites would be guaranteed to generate interviews.  Times have changed.

I would recommend throwing out your resume on all the traditional job sites – it costs nothing, and you never know.  But I wouldn’t count on results.  There are 1500 resumes per advertised job post, according to bakosgroup.com.  With that kind of competition, even if you are the best fit for the job, the chances are small that your resume will even be seen.

Eighty-one percent of all jobs available are not advertised.  If this is true – how do you find out about them?  Through networking and being and the right place at the right time.   There is a large online network of people in your field out there. You can make a name for yourself to hundreds, if not thousands of people in your specialty.  Here are some ways to do this.

Social Networking A key piece of networking which should not be overlooked is social networking.  You’ve heard all about social networking and maybe you think this means the MySpace or Facebook page that your teenager has created to send messages to his or her friends.   It does, but don’t discount it – this frontier has rapidly been expanding to include professional advertising and professional networking.  Most people don’t know how to program a website or even know about getting one.  Having a personal profile on a social networking site can serve to provide an online presence, free of charge, to showcase your talents.   Some of the sites most commonly used:

1. MySpace.  Yes, initially the haven of teenagers, it’s now a major marketing tool.  Most businesses and all artists (especially musical groups)  have their own MySpace page.   Once someone adds you as a “friend”, they are in your network.  You can post bulletins regarding products, or new projects, and everyone will see your bulletin immediately in your network.  Statistics show that MySpace pages do bring in business. Take advantage of this free and effective marketing tool.
2. Facebook.  Created for college students, this social networking site is rapidly gaining on MySpace.  The principals are similar to MySpace, but the demographics are slightly older.  I have my own Facebook page, it’s my personal preference over MySpace.   One of my friends used Facebook to chronicle his job search.  He not only received support from his friends during the search but found a job through a referral.
3. LinkedIn. A must for everyone who is searching for a job.  I think Linkedin is a good way to stay in touch with other industry professionals, build your reputation, and help you on the job.  Here are some features:
   • You can ask for referrals from former colleagues and bosses.  These recommendations will be a permanent part of your profile.
   • Having a LinkedIn profile shows you are current with the times and aware of current trends.
   • You can show off your expertise by answering questions posed by other members.  Your answer record will be showcased in your profile.  The question and your answer will become part of your profile.  If you consistently post the best answer to questions in your area, this is also logged.
   • You can post that you are looking for employment and give qualifications.
   • You can leverage your network it to get work as a temporary or freelance consultant to tide you over until you get a real job.
   • They also have groups you can join to further your education in your specialty, some of the events are local and you can network there.
   • You can use it to brainstorm with other people who might have similar business problems or industry concerns.

If you are unsure how to create a MySpace page or Facebook page, it’s time for your kids to give back and show you the ropes.  You can promise not to spy on their pages, or at a minimum, not post on their profiles if they are concerned about dorky parents making comments that are visible to their friends.

Particpate in Webinars, Blogs and Twitter

One of the lessor known marketing tools for any product is participation in online communities which are not included in the social networking category.  The power of print advertising and even ad banner web page advertising is waning.  Some advertising firms hire writers to participate in blogs and plug their clients products and it works.  Why not market yourself in this way?  By visiting and participating in blogs, chats, and Webinars, you can present yourself as an expert in the field and potentially gather a referral to a new opening.

Clean Up Your Online Identity

Did you know that most employers, before making an offer to a potential employee, do an internet search to see what turns up?  If you have something other than a 100% professional MySpace or Facebook page, create a new one just for job searching and set the privacy settings to your other pages to “Only Friends” or “Private”.  More than one job applicant has lost a job offering because of inappropriate content on their personal pages.

Related posts:

1. Is Your Newest Facebook Friend a Debt Collector? Ya gotta admire the genius of this, though the tactics...
2. Using the Internet to Cut Costs and Save Time How much time do you spend on the internet? I’m...
3. The Importance of Protecting Yourself at Public Internet Hotspots The information superhighway is getting easier and easier to jump...
4. Making Money Using the Internet Sounds promising, doesn’t it? With all the folks out of...
5. Use Twitter to Contact Bank of America’s Customer Service There are usually three ways to reach a business: a...