Monday, October 29, 2012

6 LinkedIn Groups to Help You Land Your Next Job

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Chelsea P. Gladden is the Director of Marketing & PR for FlexJobs, an award-winning service that helps job-seekers find professional opportunities that also offer work flexibility, such as telecommuting, freelance, part-time or alternative schedules. To learn more about Chelsea, visit FlexJobs.com or tweet her @FlexJobsChelsea.


With the upcoming election, we are hearing more and more about the need to increase jobs. If you are among the 12.1 million Americans who are out of work, continuous networking is key. Because forking out dollar after dollar to attend conferences and events weekly isn’t feasible for someone who needs to be earning money, the obvious option is social networking. LinkedIn is a great option for connecting with friends, former colleagues and their connections who can possibly introduce you to your future boss. To further your reach, consider joining discussion groups and actively participating. Not only can you meet new connections, but the groups often include job listings or upcoming opportunities. The following are six groups to to consider joining right now.


1. Jobs 2.0: A discussion group that includes the latest tips for finding employment online, join this group to get advice from career experts and interact with recruiters.


2. Your College’s Official Alumni Group: Find your college’s alumni group and join now. As the University of California Santa Barbara’s alumni group writes, job seekers can “expand their influence, networking, business and career opportunities.” To join your college colleagues, do a search on LinkedIn for your university, and look for the keyword “official” to make sure you’re choosing the real group and not one of the many unofficial alumni groups.


3. Companies You’ve Worked For: Similar to your college alumni group, join any groups affiliated with your current or former employer. It’s a great way to stay connected for a future recommendation or see where past co-workers are working now, as you may want to join them.


Tips 4-6 and Complete Mashable Article

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