Tap into tech to advance your job hunt

There's a whole world at your fingertips in terms of tools you could be leveraging to shift your job hunt into another gear. The beauty of it is most of the resources out there on the Internet are free, easy to use and extremely accessible. Not to mention, there are resources galore to get you started (like this blog for instance). So here we offer up some quick ideas to take your job search out of the dark age and into the digital age.

1. Tap into LinkedIn
LinkedIn is the our society's answer to the old-fashioned Rolodex. All the professional contacts and connections you've made in your career can now be stored in one convenient website. But there's a lot more to it than just that. In addition to the people you already know, making connections with those who have influence in companies that you want to work for is also a good idea. LinkedIn also provides the option of recommending coworkers you have worked with or work with currently. By recommending someone and writing something casting them in a positive light, you open up the door and increase the likelihood that they'll recommend you back. But there's also groups targeting specific industries that you can join to keep up with the latest news in your field.   

2. Be a social media butterfly
This isn't so much a recommendation as it is a requirement. More and more employers are looking for and expecting some sort of social media presence to find out more about you and make sure you're keeping up with current trends. Do: post and share messages related to your industry or field of expertise; offer to help people out and be a resource. Don't: post anything that could make you look bad. i.e. Those pictures from your best friend's party in Mexico.

3. Get your blog on
Another great way to establish your cred as an expert in your specialty is to start blogging. There's numerous free blogs out there from Blogger to Wordpress that one can sign up for quickly and customize easily. Once signed up, start sharing insights, links or offering up advice. Then you can start promoting your new blog to people interested in your industry or thought leaders via your social media and LinkedIn.

4. Post on a job board
Careerbuilder, Indeed and a slew of others - there's a plethora of job boards out there that you can use to look for a new position. The results they yield can sometimes be negligible because they are so saturated with resumes and applicants. But employers do use them and look for people that fit the qualifications for positions they open. It's something that if you're not doing, you should be.


6. Hit up a website - your own.
Back in the '90s, the Internet was a cryptic and esoteric place reserved for coders and web developers. So if you wanted to find a way to secure your own spot in cyberspace, those were the people you had to call. Not so anymore. Now, there are plenty of intuitive, easy-to-use sites with WYSIWYG (what you see is what you get) tools to get a professional looking website up quickly and easily. In only a few minutes you can set up something with your resume and a bio for free! And if you're willing to pay the cost for a domain name, many of those sites can connect your own personal web address to the site to take it a professional step further. Need ideas? Visit sites like Wix and Moonbuilder.