Online networking has revolutionized the way people build and maintain relationships and search for jobs. Imagine being able to go into the offices of everyone you know and search through their Rolodex or have a conversation with dozens of people from all over the world, all from the comfort of your keyboard. That is the power of online networking.
Here are some tips on how to maximize your online presence, build meaningful relationships, and connect with people who may be able to help you in your search.

1. Create profiles on business and social networking and online identity sites to make it easier to be found by hiring managers.
2. With traditional networking you can only be in one place at a time; with online networking you can interact with multiple communities simultaneously.
3. Put your name in quotes into a search engine and see what comes back. Do you exist online and is your online presence distinctive?
4. Networking sites are not just for socializing; they are robust searchable databases full of critical information on people and companies.
5. Every online community has its own culture. Spend some time observing the culture before you jump in.
6. Nix the “I’m looking for work” status updates when chatting in online communities. They make you sound desperate and don’t show your value.
7. Online networking does not have a “build it and they will come” mentality; work your online network daily.
8. Spend about an hour a day working your online network.
9. Hiring managers conduct online searches on candidates before the interview and may reject candidates based on what they do or do not find.
10. People who don’t think online networking is relevant to their job search will become irrelevant to the hiring managers who think it is.
11. Add a professional headshot to your online profiles. When the photo is missing, people wonder why.
12. When inviting someone to your online network, be authentic and write a personal message. Nothing screams “lazy” like a canned invitation.
13. Take the time to create a robust profile on your networking sites; a complete profile is more searchable by recruiters and hiring managers.
14. Create a public profile with a vanity URL on your networking profiles, with your first and last name, to maximize your exposure.
15. Commit to adding at least five new contacts per week and reconnecting with at least five people in your network each week.
16. Reconnecting with someone you haven’t spoken to in years by calling them is awkward; reconnecting through social media platforms is not.
17. Online networking is a great option for shy job seekers because unlike live networking, you can craft or edit a message before you hit send.

Networking is the exchange of information and the cultivation of productive and authentic relationships. Some people would rather go to the dentist than go to a networking meeting or event. Many avoid it altogether throughout their careers and find themselves in a bind when they are in a job searchand aren’t connected to anyone who can help.

Flossing your teeth daily is proactive and preventive dental care. Networking on a regular basis is a proactive career management strategy that keeps you connected to people who can potentially influence and accelerate your job search. Neglect your teeth and you end up with a lot of pain and a huge dental bill. Neglect your network and you end up with an extended job search and months of lost income. Here are tips for keeping your network healthy and strong.

1. Networking is about asking for information, not asking for favors.

2. When requesting a networking meeting, always stress that you understand how busy the person is and that you just want to meet briefly.

3. When requesting a networking meeting, arrange everything on the other person’s terms; time and location must be convenient for them.

4. While face-to-face networking is always best, graciously accept an opportunity to chat by phone if that is what’s offered to you.

5. Work networking into your daily life — at your kid’s soccer game, church, and even in line at the bank. Everyone is a potential connection.

6. When networking, expect to give more than you get, and soon you will be getting a lot.

7. Spend at least three-quarters of your job-search time networking for optimal results.

8. Find natural touch points like holidays and birthdays to reconnect with your network.

9. Networking is a lot of work, and if your networking is not working you may not be doing enough.

10. Reach out to affinity groups such as professional organizations, corporate or school alumni groups, and community groups to build a network.

11. Network with people who are different than you — older, younger, different ethnicities, different geographies, different industries, etc.

12. Create business cards with your name, contact information, and professional identity, and bring them with you wherever you go.

13. Add a signature line with your name and contact information to all of your e-mails to make you more memorable.

14. Write notes on the backs of business cards you receive at networking events to make each person more memorable.

15. You can’t build a network overnight; try to build your network before you need it.

16. Create a list of companies you are interested in to share with people in your network; ask if they can refer you to anyone at these companies.

17. If you are uncomfortable networking in large groups, ask a more outgoing friend to accompany you.

18. To optimize networking events, go with a friend and network in different circles, then compare notes and leads at the end of the event.

19. Have a few meaningful conversations during networking events instead of trying to meet everyone to collect hundreds of business cards.

20. If you are shy, arrive at networking events early, when the setting is more intimate and the crowds aren’t as overwhelming.

21. Ask people a lot of questions about themselves. People think you are a great conversationalist when you let them do most of the talking.

22. Don’t pass on fee-based networking events in favor of free ones. Assess each opportunity based on the value you think it will offer.

My three closest friends don’t participate in any form of social or business networking. You’ll never find a business profile, status update, family photo, or even a poke from any of them on any online networking platform. While I ponder a “social media intervention” I continue to reach out to my friends on their terms which includes email and phone contact and an annual snail mail holiday card. I have to admit, it’s a lot more work to keep in touch this way and it takes more thought and planning on my part. But since these three friends mean the world to me, I try my best to stay in touch.

But what if I weren’t as close to these people? Would I bother? Where’s the threshold between making someone’s life easy and too much work? What if you are a job seeker? During a search, you need a lot of contacts…both strong and weak networking links. Remaining top of mind with the weaker links is tough when you solely rely on email, a phone call, or a holiday card. With those limited means of communication and interaction, will your network bother to stay in touch? I often hear people complaining that social media is a frivolous waste of time. I disagree. I think it’s a time saver and an efficient way to keep up with people and let them know what’s going on in your world. This makes people feel connected. Feeling connected makes people more likely to offer help and advice.

I talked to one of my closest friends this week. It’s been a long time since we spoke. Long enough for major events to occur in both our lives without the other one having a clue about it. I must admit that I was a bit sad when I realized that 300+ virtual friends know what I did last weekend and one of my dearest friends hasn’t known what’s been going on with me for much longer.

Imagine sending your resume to a recruiter and letting it sit in his database for years versus reaching out to recruiters on LinkedIn or Facebook to actively network with them. Think about the implications of sending a resume into the job board black hole versus building engagement with a company via their Facebook fan page. Contemplate leaving a weak networking contact 10 unanswered voicemails versus including them in an online dialog. Social networking works. Whether it’s for maintaining friendships or managing your career.

According to a recent LinkedIn networking survey, globally and in the U.S. men are savvier online professional networkers than women. LinkedIn defines online professional networking savviness as the ratio of connections that men have to connections that women have and the ratio of male members on LinkedIn to female members.

Some of the survey results may surprise you; according to their data men in the cosmetics industry are better networkers than their female counterparts but women in the ranching industry are better networkers than their male counterparts. Maybe this is because both of these groups are the minorities in their respective fields, so they feel they need to network more to make the right connections and get ahead. You can read more about the survey here.

I don’t believe that networking is a gender-specific activity and I think both men and women can be great networkers. But LinkedIn does offer some great tips for how to leverage the power of LinkedIn to better manage your career, so be sure to check these out.

Be prepared
Before you attend any business event, use LinkedIn Mobile to see where people work, what position they have, how long they’ve been there and if you have any connections in common. Make sure your own profile has your full work history, education and skills so other professionals can learn more about you.

Mingle
Your LinkedIn network should be made up of at least 50 connections you know and trust, but you should also actively look for new connections and move out of your comfort zone. If you only talk to people you know, you’re less likely to find new opportunities. Find new connections by joining LinkedIn Groups focused on topics you’re passionate about. Look for working parent groups or groups related to the environment so you can meet professionals who share your interests.

Put your scorecard down
Great networkers don’t have a “gimme gimme” mentality. They focus on connecting and helping new people. Opportunities often arise when you reconnect with people you’ve lost touch. Look at your LinkedIn Homepage like your own professional dashboard chock full of useful reasons to reach out to your network. If you see that a connection just got promoted or landed a new client, shoot them a note to say congratulations and ask them what they are working on.

Office team recently surveyed 500 HR managers at companies with 20 or more employees and asked the following question.

“In your opinion, how likely is it that profiles on networking sites, such as LinkedIn and Facebook, will replace traditional resumes in the future?” Their responses are below.

I think the survey is interesting, but I wonder if we are asking the wrong question. Is it that online profiles will replace the traditional resume or simply allow them to evolve naturally? I tend to think the later. Social media offers another platform for sharing information and marketing yourself…two things that are critical during a job search. Social media and online platforms facilitate the process of matching candidates with employers. It doesn’t need to be one versus the other. Whether your resume is on paper, online, or somewhere else is not the point. What’s important is that the information that describes you is clear and compelling with quantifiable results and that people know who you are. Having a profile on LinkedIn will be no better than having a resume posted on a job board if the job seeker is doing nothing to facilitate the relationship. Relationship trumps resume and LinkedIn profile. Use LinkedIn but go past building a profile. Build real relationships…with real people. And once you start the relationship, take it offline. People hire people, not resumes or profiles.

In honor of Halloween, this month’s Career Collective topic is scary resume and career mistakes. Here are the top ten mistakes I see job seekers make.

1. Inflate their qualifications or lie on their resume. While a resume is not a legal document, it should be an accurate representation of your experience and achievements. I advocate for showing your employment history in the best possible light, buy lying is never wise.
2. Forget to proofread their resume. One of the easiest ways to show an employer you don’t pay much attention to details is to submit a resume with a typo. Check, double-check, and triple check your document. Use spell check and ask a few different people to proof the resume before sending it to employers.
3. Send the same generic cover letter to every employer. The cover letter is the perfect opportunity to make a connection with the employer and explain how you can help solve their problems. Don’t go vanilla here. Tailor your cover letter to the employer and position you are applying to.
4. Neglect to research the company before the interview. With so much information on the Internet there is no excuse for not knowing about the company you are interviewing with. Use Vault, Glassdoor, WetFeet, Jigsaw, and LinkedIn to unearth important information about the companies and people you are interviewing with and don’t forget to take advantage of the research resources available at many public libraries.
5. Ask everyone they know for a job. Unless you want your friends and colleagues to stop returning your calls, don’t just ask everyone you know for a job. Instead ask for information about a company, a person, an industry, etc. Let your contacts know you value their knowledge and insights. Through these exploratory conversations they may be able to point you in the direction of a possible job opportunity even if they can’t help you land that job directly.
6. Neglect to send a thank you letter following an interview. It’s not just a courtesy. It is an opportunity to make a second impression on the person you just interviewed with and remain top of mind. Send the thank you letter within 24 hours of the interview. A few paragraphs with a thank you and a recap of why you are the perfect match for the job can help keep you on the hiring manager’s short list.
7. Fail to leverage their network. Some people feel that reaching out to their network for contacts means asking for favors. It doesn’t. See #5.
8. Snub social media. Imagine being able to go into the offices of everyone you know and look through their Roledex (remember them). That’s what social media sites like LinkedIn and Twitter allow you to do.
9. Complain. It’s easy to blame the company or the economy for your job search frustrations. But it won’t get you a job any faster. Find a few close confidents you can vent to and don’t spread your frustration to others. Keep a journal to help you chronicle your search journey and help get your feelings out.
10. Give up. This is perhaps the scariest one of all. And there are a lot of people out there that have given up. Unemployment benefits won’t last forever. At some point you will have to get back in the game. If you have dropped out of the race for several months, getting back in is much harder. Keep at it. Plan job search activities every day. You will be scheduling meetings with friends and colleagues, doing Internet research, building your online network, working on your resume, practicing your elevator pitch, etc. There is a lot to do. Job search is a full-time job. Now’s not the time to take a vacation.

Read what my colleagues have to say about scary resume and career mistakes here.

• Where Are the Wild Things, Anyway?, @WorkWithIllness
• Is Your Job Search Making You Feel Like a Smashed Pumpkin?, @DebraWheatman
• Hiding in Plain Sight, @WalterAkana
• Don’t make these frightful resume mistakes, @LaurieBerenson
• How Not to Be a Spooky Job Seeker, @heathermundell
• A Tombstone Resume:Eulogizing Your Experience, @GayleHoward
• Oh, Job Search Isn’t Like Trick or Treating?, @careersherpa
• A Most Unfortunate Resume Mistake No One Will Tell You, @chandlee
• Oh no. Not the phone!, @DawnBugni
• Halloween Caution: Job Seeker Horror, @resumeservice
• Boo! Are you scaring away opportunities or the competition? @MartinBuckland @EliteResumes
• Your Career Brand: A Scary Trick or an Appealing Treat?, @KCCareerCoach
• How to avoid mistakes on your resume, @Keppie_Careers
• Sc-sc-scary Resume Mistakes, @erinkennedycprw
• A Flawed Resume is a Scary Prospect, @KatCareerGal
• Job Search Angst: Like Clouds Mounting Before a Storm, @ValueIntoWords
• Does Your Career Costume Fit You?, @expatcoachmegan

I’m headed out to Dallas to present a hands-on workshop on social media strategies for job seekers to my colleagues at this year’s National Resume Writers’ Association Conference.

Resumes are an important marketing tool, but I believe that a resume is naked without a corresponding social media strategy. Over 90% of recruiters perform Internet searches on candidates before making a hiring decision, and more than half of employers solidify their decision to hire based on a strong online presence. Today’s job seeker needs a robust and digitally distinct web presence in order to compete for positions in the 21^st century. If someone searches for information about you online, what will be found? Ask yourself these questions.

• Do I exist online?

• Am I a “John Doe” who is difficult to locate online because there are many people out there with the same name?

• Is the information about me online relevant to my professional identity and is it accurate?

• Is there any damaging information about me online that a hiring manager could uncover?

If  you don’t currently have a strong or targeted online presence, the good news is that you can create and manage one very quickly and move from digital dud to digital rock star. Here’s how our online identity program works.

1. Comprehensive audit of your online identity. We will scour the Internet to uncover all mentions of you and your affiliations online. Based on our findings we will make recommendations for placement on online identity and networking sites to build your digital footprint and create new and sustainable visibility for your candidacy.
2. Traditional and online bio. A powerfully written, branded bio placed strategically across multiple online identity and networking sites can quickly build your value proposition and facilitate a dialogue between you and the hiring authority. We will create a bio that focuses on your core competencies, market differentiators, and compelling stories of professional success.
3. Profile creation. Once the online audit and bio are completed, we will make recommendations for profile placement on up to five online identity and networking sites. Each package is customized to the needs of the individual client. Online communities each have their own tone and culture and we will match your brand to the online communities that are most likely to contribute to your career success. We manage all administrative aspects of the profile creation for you including password creation, linking, image uploads, signature lines, and content development.
4. Online identity management coaching. We will teach you how to effectively maintain your profiles and optimize their value in just minutes a day through a one-hour tele-coaching call and electronic tips sheets.

Just interested in a particular online identity or networking tool? We can customize any of our packages to meet your needs. Want to learn more about our online identity services and receive a custom price quote? Contact us directly to discuss your specific needs.

Last week a tornado ripped through parts of Queens, New York. New Yorkers aren’t exactly used to tornadoes and the event really took us by surprise. The storm passed through the neighborhood where I grew up and I still have many friends and family there. Several of them posted  pictures of the storm’s aftermath on Facebook to capture the devastation.

One friend shared a picture of a weeping willow tree that had been broken in two by the storm. This was perhaps the most moving image from the storm. There are many majestic weeping willow trees in front of various apartment buildings in Queens. Many of these trees are well over a hundred years old and I have fond memories of climbing them as a kid. It’s the type of tree that you assume can withstand anything and will be there forever.

The damaged weeping willow tree reminded me of  the economic conditions of late 2008. Lehman Brothers and Merrill Lynch were a lot like that tree. They were old, established firms and for years they seemed invincible. But they weren’t. Their demise was like a tornado and the devastation was palatable. Overnight people who thought their jobs were secure had no job to speak of.  And what happened at Lehman Brothers and Merrill Lynch had a ripple effect on the rest of the economy and many are still feeling that impact two years later.

No job is ever really safe. Skies can be sunny one moment and pitch black the next. Being prepared for a change in the weather and a change at a company is important. Would you be prepared for a career tornado? Here are a few things to consider doing before the dark clouds set in.

1. Update your resume. Even if you are happy in your current job and feel safe, it never hurts to have a current resume. With an up-to-date resume you will always be prepared should a new opportunity present itself. To get the process started, think introspectively about what you have accomplished since you last wrote your resume. Try to think of accomplishments in terms of how you did things smarter, faster, or more efficiently and how you’ve helped the organizations you’ve supported make money, save money, save time, eliminate redundancies, grow the business, or keep the business. For more resume tips, check out this free report at the bottom of our homepage, 15 Tips For Your Resume to Do List.
2. Keep networking. People always ask me how long it will take them to find a new job. I generally tell them that the length of their search is frequently correlated to the quality of their network at the time they begin looking. People with strong networks always know people who are thinking about them for other opportunities. Even if you are comfortable in your current job, continue to find ways to be active in professional communities or volunteer your knowledge or time to help others. Building visibility and credibility now will help you weather the storm if the situation in your company changes suddenly down the road.
3. Keep learning. It’s easy to sit back and think you have all the necessary skills and training to do your job. But if you had to change jobs, would the depth and breadth of your knowledge be strong enough to position you for other opportunities? It’s wise to think ahead and figure out ways to stay on the leading-edge of your profession so you never become obsolete.

Like the weather, there are many aspects of our careers that we can’t control. But by concentrating on the things we can control we increase the chances of quickly getting out of the eye of the storm and moving on to a brighter place.

Many years ago I worked in the World Financial Center, adjacent to the World Trade Center. Every morning, after getting off the subway at the WTC stop, I needed to walk across an indoor bridge that connected the WTC to my office. The bridge always seemed endless and it often reminded me of that poppy field that Dorothy had to cross before getting to The Emerald City.

People were always walking at a fast pace across that bridge because that’s what New Yorkers do and because we were all trying to get to our offices before 9am. Sometimes I would spot colleagues on the bridge and we would walk across together. The length of the bridge was such that it allowed you to have enough of a conversation with the other person to learn something new about them. Sometimes it was an update on their weekend or their personal life. Other times it was a glimpse into their childhood or a sliver of information about their future hopes and dreams. At the time, it seemed like I was just chit-chatting and trying to stay occupied while crossing the bridge. But the reality was that I was actually networking…sharing information with colleagues that helped deepen the relationship and build trust and rapport.

I left that job several years before 9/11 and lost touch with many of my “bridge buddies.” Not long after 9/11, I was doing some consulting work downtown in another one of the World Financial Center buildings. But this time the bridge was gone. A makeshift bridge made of steel provided an interim solution for those who needed to trek across. No longer an enclosed bridge, the new bridge was ugly, scary, and raw and it did nothing to shield me from the cold winter elements. Being down at ground zero was certainly an emotional experience. Walking across that bridge, freezing and alone was my own personal moment of loss.

That’s when I realized how important it was to stay connected to people from my past. That’s when I realized that those chats on the bridge were really much more than small talk. I don’t remember a lot of the projects I worked on with these colleagues or what we talked about at work . But I remember the conversations on the bridge in vivid detail because they weren’t about work; they were about the person…and knowing something about the person is what builds the connection. It’s as if  the physical bridge gave me the opportunity to cross the relationship bridge between work colleague and friend.

I’ve reconnected with some of my friends from the bridge. I think of them frequently but I always think of them on 9/11. What’s your bridge between work colleague and friend? Maybe it’s the company cafeteria, the bar across the street, or some other hangout. Find the bridge, nurture it, and never let it disappear.

Photo credit: Alexey: NYC Downtown

Despite all the information available about “netiquette” and the importance of networking strategically online, I continue to get dozens of  mystery online networking requests. Sometimes the connection is as weak as being a member of the same group (with 50,000 other members) or as bizarre as asking for a face-to-face meeting based on the fact that we reside in the same city.

Something strange seems to happen to some people when they network online. It’s as if some people think that none of the common rules for building relationships exist. Could you imagine ever saying any of the following things over the phone or in person to someone you don’t know?

1. I’ve seen you walking down this block in the neighborhood before. Want to meet for coffee?
2. Someone told me we used to work for the same company that employs 20,000 people. Want to chat sometime?
3. I found your number in the phone book. Maybe we have something in common.
4. I heard through the grapevine that you work for a company where I would really like to work. Can you tell me more about what it’s like to work there?
5. I found you in the 1997 student alumni directory. I’m a graduate of the class of 1980. Would you like to compare notes?
6. I know I’ve never actually met you before and you have no idea who I am. But someone suggested I say “since you are someone I know and trust, I would like to add you to my network.” Does that work for you? (Hint: that’s verbatim from a LinkedIn template that people seem to use whether they know you or not).
7. You looked like someone I should know so I followed you home, made note of your address and then did a search to find your phone number. Would love to meet formally sometime.
8. I found your name and number written on a cocktail napkin at a local restaurant and I decided to call you. I figured, “what do I have to lose?”

Of course you wouldn’t say any of these things! So why do people think this approach will work online? If you are using LinkedIn or other social media tools to connect with others, create authentic relationships and recognize that the affinity will grow over time. Even on Twitter where there are generally no gatekeepers for connecting with others, it’s still advisable to follow the person for awhile and create a supportive and non-threatening dialogue before bringing the relationship face to face.

I am a fairly open connector on LinkedIn as well as other social media platforms. But I have to know a little bit about you and why you want to connect before I accept. Isn’t that just common sense?

For anyone interested in connecting via LinkedIn, you can find me here. Just be sure to tell me how you found me and why you think we should connect.