The rise of online networking sites has made it easier to connect with colleagues and learn about job openings. It's also part of a much larger trend in which more information about you may be available to anyone who's interested -- including hiring managers, who often perform Internet searches on job candidates.
If you want to advance in your career, you need to make sure that both your online networking efforts and your overall Web presence are working for -- not against -- you. A good way to do so is by treating all of your online activity as part of a public relations campaign that presents a professional image for potential employers and colleagues alike. Use networking sites with care.
Professional networking sites such as LinkedIn make it easy to expand your web of business contacts, an essential element of any successful IT career. Valuable professional connections can also come from more socially oriented sites such as Facebook, MySpace and Google's Orkut.
Keep these three points in mind when networking online:
- Craft your profile carefully
- Strive for quality, not quantity
- Ask for recommendations
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