Using Social Media as Part of a Job Search

Over the last few months I have continued to use multiple methods while searching for my new "dream job." Beyond the traditional search (looking at Craigslist.org, the Capitol Morning Report, Monster.com, CareerBuilder.com, Indeed.com) and attending Bayside Church's "Career Coaching," I have used social media sites to expand my reach and my networking, making lots of great connections and meeting leaders throughout the Sacramento PR and business community.  My search started off by expanding my social media network, I added new LinkedIn connections, started to follow additional people on Twitter and went through my address book (Google contacts to be exact, I currently have more than 1400), researched industries and companies and began my "search."

Although I haven't landed my job yet, I have used my "sabbatical" to learn new things by participating in Webinars, many hosted for free by companies like Careerealism and CirclePoint, attended events like Social Media Weekend, seminars hosted by the Social Media Club and American Marketing Association Sacramento Valley, networking events including Placer and Sacramento Tweetups, SPRA Mixers, Cal Poly and Jesuit Alumni events, and joined two committees ("Jamba Jump Day" and Citizen Voice/SafelyOut). I have also developed stronger relationships with reporters (something that is important in the PR/communications industry and now have contacts at many, if not all, of Sacramento's news outlets.

Yesterday one of those contacts, Suzanne Phan of KXTV News10 asked to interview me about one of the facets of my job search, using social media.  Suzanne came to "Fort Bradley" in Roseville, set up her camera in my "office" (aka converted dining room) and we were able to chat about some of the sites I use in my daily job search and how I use social media (in conjunction with traditional networking) to expand my network, after all in many cases it is not "what you know, but who you know."

Yesterday at 11 pm the story aired (see below) with my first ever on camera interview (I am very used to being behind the camera, just not in front of it) and included not only me, but highlights from the Social Media Club's event "Putting Social Media to Work" at Sacramento's Urban Hive.

Do you have contacts that I can meet with to discuss future opportunities? To expand my network? Let me know, leave a comment below, find me on Twitter or LinkedIn or e-mail me MrAndrewBradley [at] gmail [dot] com. Looking for a communications position that uses social media, can be at a PR agency, non-profit or within health care field.