Q:  I know little about social media.  What is it and how can I use social media to help me look for a job?

Social media is not always easy to define. It is moving very fast with new sites popping up every day.  But basically it includes online communities designed for sharing, learning and networking with other, like-minded people.  Some you know today and others you’ll know soon.

The most popular examples include Facebook, MySpace, LinkedIn, Twitter, Foursquare, Amplify, Yelp and many others.  You can see a bunch of other examples in the footer (bottom) of any page on this site.  Using social media allows you to build a network beyond the one you have today.  It also allows you to expose your personal brand to the masses.  Many have community functions where you can re-connect with friends, make new ones and update your growing network on what’s been happening in your life.

And while some use social media to share simple personal updates (just walked my dog), those who use it effectively are proactively building their personal brand.  And also creating a progressive group of new network connections.

Here are a few articles to help you use social media effectively:

Social Media And Your Job Search: Act Like a Company

10 Ways To Build A High Value Network

Using FourSquare To Manage Your Personal Brand

Twitter. Like A Walk In The Park.

And here are places online that you can connect with me.  A place you can safely “cut your teeth” as you learn:

“Like” The Tim’s Strategy Facebook Page

Join The Tim’s Strategy LinkedIn Group

Follow Tim On Twitter

Become A Fan Of Tim On Brazen Careerist

For more posts on this topic, see the main topic page for Using Social Media