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The importance of social networking during the job search - Rochester Works Career Conference
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On November 10, I attended the Rochester Works 1st Career Annual Conference, "Surviving Job Loss is a Changing Economy." I arrived about 11 a.m. at the host site – the Double Tree Hotel on Jefferson Road. The first challenge was to find a parking spot, which took about 10 minutes and four times driving around the parking lot. The spot I found was not a parking spot that I would use normally, since there were yellow lines crossing the area, but with so many people parked in that zone, I decided to give it a go – to my regret, but more on that later.
When I entered the Double Tree lobby to check into the conference, I asked a Rochester Works host if there were more attendees than expected and he said there were a few more than expected, but not a great deal more. The day before the conference I called Rochester Works and was told that nearly 800 registered for tickets and others without tickets would also be attending.
There were two areas in the hotel atrium and one directly off the atrium designated for businesses, non-profits and education representatives to present their wares. As I walked through the array of tables, I stopped and spoke to a representative sample of business attendees about their reasons for being at the conference and the needs of their organizations. The people I spoke to were representing Compeer, Boces, Aerotek and Kelly Services. More on those conversations in future posts.
The conference also included workshops aimed at those looking for a job or to improve their job skills. I attended two workshops that discussed the advantages of social networking when searching for a new job or career. The first workshop "LinkedIn: Groups –Participate and Prosper" was presented by Greg Taylor, or as he is known in the LinkedIn community – SirLinkedAlot. The second workshop – Intro to Twitter for the Job Seeker – was directed by William “Skeeter” Harris of MacVillagePro.
Both hour-long workshop were full houses (my estimate is 200 or so). Demographically the workshops were split nearly 50/50 male/female, but the majority of attendees were over 30 years old. After all, who under 30 needs to learn about LinkedIn and Twitter, since they were raised on social networking and don’t need the basic introduction to it.
I’ll have more on both Greg Taylor and Skeeter Harris in future posts after I meet with them to discuss their job search tips. The bottom line from both gentlemen is that networking is vital to most people who are looking for work and that having an online personal brand will help you make connections, but - and it’s an important but – you need to build your personal brand with care, or you may short-circuit your job search. For example, using the same photo or logo and participating in discussions on your social networking sites are positives when building your personal brand, but careless spelling and posting inappropriate jokes can affect your personal brand negatively.
Not too many years ago, it was possible and it was an accepted practice to separate your work and personal life, but with the advent of social networking that split is more difficult to achieve. For some Boomers, the transition from landline to Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter can be challenging, but with the help of those in the know, it can be both entertaining and rewarding.
To learn more about Greg Taylor’s LinkedIn expertise, visit SirLinkedAlot.
Go to MacVillagePro to learn more about social networking and the other services provided by Skeeter Harris.
Visit Rochester Works to discover all they have to offer the job seeker and career changer, or call them at 585-258-3545. Unfortunately, I don’t see a LinkedIn, Facebook or Twitter account for Rochester Works, but with Greg Taylor and Skeeter Harris on the scene, it likely won’t be long before that’s remedied!
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