Social Networking & Internet Job Searching

There is a fascinating article on CareerJournal.com this morning. The article is referencing a study done by CareerXroads that indicates the increasing importance of social networking in the job search. According to the study, at large companies, employee referrals led to 1/3 of all new hires - 32% as opposed to just 21% in 2001.

Of additional interest, the Internet was a close second. 30% of all new hires at large companies came from the Internet -- half of these directly from the corporate websites of the companies and 8% from large job boards like Monster.com.

In any case, although posting your resume on the Internet continues to be important, the study suggests that it is more important than ever to expand and utilize your network in the job search. Recommended sources to help you network on the Internet include alumni databases, professional associations' discussion lists, and sites such as Linkedin.com.