Job Search with Social Media isn't just a Dream

I know I first saw it on Twitter and then, the news. Stanford kid who created YouTube Instant got an instant job offer over Twitter from YouTube CEO. Just imagine yourself being approached by the one person who can help make your dreams come true and give you that dream job! Well, you can- just use social media, intelligently.

Keith Dsouza editor-in- chief of Techie Buzz reports: The service which can be seen at http://feross.net/instant/ works pretty well and has apparently impressed the YouTube CEO who offered the Stanford student a job with YouTube. The entire conversation happened on Twitter and goes like this.

@Chad_Hurley, the YouTube CEO first tweeted: Hey @FreeTheFeross! Loving YouTube Instant…http://feross.net/instant/ Want a job? ;)

To which Feross replied: Hey @Chad_Hurley. Glad you liked YouTube Instant! Is that a for-real job offer? ;)

This prompted another reply from Chad, which read: @FreeTheFeross Are you ready to leave school? :) I'll send you a DM.

"There was no response from Feross after this," Dsouza writes "however, it looks like they took their conversation private to direct messaging."

We have heard this before and it seems that traditional methods of applying for jobs are going obsolete as social media is taking on our lives. It is interesting to note that just how personal connections work and networking is the key to landing a job, social media makes the task easier. If a YouTube CEO can be on the same platform as a college kid and their paths cross like we saw, we know that something is being done right.

"The traditional resume and cover letter may no longer cut it when it comes to landing your dream job. And in a world driven by technology, it's become more necessary for job seekers to tap into the social networking realm in order to keep up with the competition," reports Hope Holland. Holland summarises her research on what the experts say and came up with a list of social-media tips which are as follows:

#1: First and Foremost, Google yourself: Sherrie Madia, director of communications at the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, and author of "The Social Media Survival Guide", recommended searching your name in Google before. "Depending on what you find, you can start figuring out where you need to begin," Madia said. "You can locate negative comments you have left on Facebook, blog posts, etc."

#2: Reshape and Revise Your Online Profile: Get all of your subscribed social-networking sites in sync with the same message, goals, experience and photograph. The experts agree setting up a profile on LinkedIn, a popular professional site used for business networking and potential job opportunities, is a key tool in Internet job hunting.

#3: Research Your Industry: After you've revamped your social media profiles, it's time to use the databases to your advantage and job seekers are advised to research blogs in their industry, look for companies on Twitter and Facebook, and find appropriate groups and blogs to link to. Create an opportunity to get recognized.

#4: Share Your Voice: With unlimited access to the blogosphere, job seekers are able to constantly search and learn about their specific niche or industry. Madia recommended commenting on blogs, and proving you have an opinion related to your field.

#5: Network Your Way to the Top: Web sites like LinkedIn are great opportunities to network. Once you make a personal connection, you are essentially granted access to that person's contacts and further.

These are a just a few tips and there is a wealth of information on how one can employ social media networking to find their dream job. I can personally vouch for how good my experience has been with using social media tools to network with people whom I would never have crossed paths. The world just got more interesting and so can what you do with your life! Gooduck!

Photo Credit: Alle