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Making the Most out of FOAF Networks?
BFF? asks: "With the rising popularity of online FOAF (Friend of a Friend) networks such as Orkut, Friendster and Linked-In I was wondering if and how people are using these networks to help their career along. Are these social networks just for vanity's sake or are they actually useful when job-hunting?"
Maybe I'm just an old-timer, but in my day we'd spooge free trips to conferences from employers, and talk to other people while there.
You get double networking points if you have a booth with some interesting content and some free "gimme" crap... and triple points if you teach a seminar or give a lecture.
Another good thing to do is teach a community college class in your area of expertise... It's a good way to meet people who are in a similar profession or who will one day be there.
Also, go to every professional association meeting for one or two organizations. It's always the same people at all that crap (at least in my industry), so if you want to be identified as a "player", it's helpful to at least make an appearance at that stuff.
Possibly check out the alumni thing for your department at university (if your work is relevant to your degree)... This is a good way to meet older people in the same line of work, many of whom are quite supportive of young folks.
I'm work at a consulting shop, so this might only be applicable to some... but get as much face time with the clients as possbile, and be sure that they know you are the one to call when something needs to get done. Establish a pattern that if they have a problem, they call you, and the problem goes away. You would be amazed how easy it is to build a good reputation just by answering phone calls or email, and sending a prompt reply.
Failing all else, I'd probably try to use an internet medium to network. I was a member of allexperts.com in my specific area of technical expertise for about a year. In that year, I probably got 10 offtopic questions, and about 30 requests from college kids to help with their homework.
I've not tried any other internet things, but my supposition is that the "audience" for your profile is too generalized. You need to get your mug in front of potential employers, and that doesn't sound like a time-effective solution. Go for it if you enjoy doodling around on the internet, but I wouldn't have any great expectation of success.
"If you think you have things under control, you're not going fast enough." --Mario Andretti
...From washing airplanes as a teenager to my present contract 30 years later has come from networking.
I've gotten interviews and offers by looking in ad pages, but the best offers have always come from people that knew me.
People you know that find out about job openings will tell you about them before ads are placed. It helps to get your foot in the door early in the hiring process. While sifting through hundreds of qualified resumes, when someone recognizes your name, you are automatically moved to the top of the stack, or onto the shortlist. This is exactly how I got my present contract.
Good judgement comes from experience, and experience comes from bad judgement.
- W. Wriston, former Citibank CEO
The old Boys network , all be it in a diffrent form for some new boys and girls .
Its the same type of social orgranisation for a digital age , It has worked well for hundreds of years and i shouldnt see why it wont work now though i wouldnt like to pay for it , if your in the IT industry making freinds on sites like this could help , it never hurts to make freinds at work
The only things certain in war are Propaganda and Death. You can never be sure which is which though
My band uses MySpace.com to attract new listeners, and it's been the best. They should charge bands for this kind of exposure. Lots of new people at shows. When we post a show bulletin, people propagee the notices through the network, its a huge thing. Social networks are crazy good for bands. Oh, and there's lots of hot chicks too. Just beware the chicks who only take pictures from one particular angle. They're the fat ones. (they need love too).