Thursday, October 15, 2009

Looking for a job in sustainability? Look beyond the job boards: Part 2

The internet has certainly made the world smaller. I am sure that most of you are well aware of these social networking sites, but you might not have considered using them as part of your job search. If you are a job seeker in sustainability, at least one of these should be part of your arsenal:

  • LinkedIn. The more business-oriented of all of the popular social networking tools, LinkedIn is like an online Rolodex but better because it allows you to connect with people through your own connections. Your profile page can serve as an online resume, so make sure it is up-to-date and professional. This is not the web site to announce that you are headed to the car wash or to let everyone know where you went for happy hour last night!
  • Facebook. If you are going to use Facebook, you need to decide if it will be for pleasure or business. It cannot be both. Indiscriminate postings have trashed many people’s job prospects and, in some cases, cost people jobs they already had. Job seekers with Facebook accounts that have been used for personal pleasure would be wise to regularly visit their Facebook pages and remove any potentially damaging photos or posts. If someone else has posted a photo of a you on a drunken escapade in college, remove your tag. Yes, potential employers look at these things and yes, they might make a judgment about you as a job candidate based on what they see.
  • Twitter. Again, as with Facebook, if you are going to use Twitter as a job seeking professional, keep your “tweets” professional. Twitter is full of people and organizations with an interest or focus on sustainability, so use Twitter to develop relationships and you might find yourself connecting with the right person who can lead you to the right job!

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