What do you think?
Rate this book
Job Searching with Social Media For Dummies
Harness social media to land your dream job For anyone looking for a first job, exploring a career change, or just setting up for future success, social media sites are proven platforms for facilitating connections, demonstrating passions and interests, and ultimately landing the job. Job Searching with Social Media For Dummies enables you to harness the power of the Internet to research and identify job opportunities, and then create a strategy for securing a position. Job Searching with Social Media For Dummies features in-depth coverage of topics such creating effective online profiles and resumes to sell your strengths; maintaining your online reputation (and ensuring that employers who Google you like what they find) and understanding electronic etiquette; using the power of personal branding and building your brand online; avoiding common pitfalls, such as jumping into filling out a social media profile without a strategy; getting to know Twitter, the only real-time job board with literally thousands of jobs posted daily; using social media sites to uncover opportunities in the "hidden job market" ahead of the competition; and much more. If you're a recent graduate, changing careers, or have been away from the job-search scene for a while, turn to the trusted guidance and expert insight of Job Searching with Social Media For Dummies.
360 pages, Paperback
First published August 2, 2011
14 people are currently reading
96 people want to read
About the author
Joshua Waldman
13 books18 followersJoshua Waldman is an authority on leveraging social media to find employment. He is the author of Job Searching With Social Media For Dummies, and his writing has appeared in Forbes, Huffington Post, Mashable and the International Business Times. Joshua’s career blog, CareerEnlightenment.com, won the About.com Reader’s Choice Award for Best Career Blog 2013. When he’s not writing, Joshua presents keynotes, trainings and breakout sessions around the world for students, career advisors, consortiums and professional organizations. For more information, visit careerenlightenment.com
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
October 25, 2011
I was laid off from an adminstrative/marketing job in June. The pain of that layoff still lingers. Fortunately, I was able to find another position part-time and sometimes get lucky and get more hours per diem, but that's another story entirely. I need a full time job with health benefits ASAP for the security of my entire family. Enough stress, eh? Fortunately this book came along at a time when I really need it.
First, a few things about the book format and text: I previously avoided "Dummies" books - the overall concept bugged me, but I didn't know any better; now I can look past the gimmicky "Dummies" phrase. The text of this book is written respectfully by a writer who clearly knows what he's talking about. The eye catching graphics and highlight boxes, bring some visual interest - that does keep your mind from going elsewhere while reading this book - ever turn a page in a book and realize that you were thinking about something else while reading and have to go back and reread? That doesn't happen with this book. It is also written in a clear, conversational tone without ever talking down to you.
Basically, most of us now know that social media plays a huge role in life, especially as young adult workers entering the workplace are so familiar with social media... sometimes to their detriment. While studying for my degree, I took courses that involved social media to a fairly large extent. One professor insisted that we use our real names while online as it gave more credibility to our words. He also wisely cautioned that anything we write can come back to haunt us - even if you delete something from a website, it may still reside in another server somewhere. Fortunately, I kept his wise advice in mind and have always watched what I write. This is often not the case with some of the younger generation. Because of search techniques in this book, I was able to search and find decent writing and good information on myself. Not so fortunate was someone else I know, who will also be looking for a job soon. She was able to fix some things, but ultimately, I was still able to find negative impressions out there.
This book gave a road map for managing your online reputation and creating positive impressions. An easy way for a hiring manager to weed applicants out is to do a Google search for their name. What does yours say about you? Is your facebook page set on the highest level of privacy? Even so, you can still view pictures on private pages, did you know that? Do you have a LinkIn page yet? As a user, I can tell you that it does open up a huge online business marketplace. This book shows you how to manage your LinkedIn account (and how to create one if you haven't done so yet), how to manage privacy settings on social media, and most importantly, gives excellent advice on finding that next career you're working toward.
I'm still using this book and haven't received that golden offer yet, but at least I feel like I'm moving in the right direction because of the advice this book gives.
First, a few things about the book format and text: I previously avoided "Dummies" books - the overall concept bugged me, but I didn't know any better; now I can look past the gimmicky "Dummies" phrase. The text of this book is written respectfully by a writer who clearly knows what he's talking about. The eye catching graphics and highlight boxes, bring some visual interest - that does keep your mind from going elsewhere while reading this book - ever turn a page in a book and realize that you were thinking about something else while reading and have to go back and reread? That doesn't happen with this book. It is also written in a clear, conversational tone without ever talking down to you.
Basically, most of us now know that social media plays a huge role in life, especially as young adult workers entering the workplace are so familiar with social media... sometimes to their detriment. While studying for my degree, I took courses that involved social media to a fairly large extent. One professor insisted that we use our real names while online as it gave more credibility to our words. He also wisely cautioned that anything we write can come back to haunt us - even if you delete something from a website, it may still reside in another server somewhere. Fortunately, I kept his wise advice in mind and have always watched what I write. This is often not the case with some of the younger generation. Because of search techniques in this book, I was able to search and find decent writing and good information on myself. Not so fortunate was someone else I know, who will also be looking for a job soon. She was able to fix some things, but ultimately, I was still able to find negative impressions out there.
This book gave a road map for managing your online reputation and creating positive impressions. An easy way for a hiring manager to weed applicants out is to do a Google search for their name. What does yours say about you? Is your facebook page set on the highest level of privacy? Even so, you can still view pictures on private pages, did you know that? Do you have a LinkIn page yet? As a user, I can tell you that it does open up a huge online business marketplace. This book shows you how to manage your LinkedIn account (and how to create one if you haven't done so yet), how to manage privacy settings on social media, and most importantly, gives excellent advice on finding that next career you're working toward.
I'm still using this book and haven't received that golden offer yet, but at least I feel like I'm moving in the right direction because of the advice this book gives.
October 18, 2013
this book has been invaluable in helping me establish my online presence and "personal brand". Clear, concise and incredibly in depth. Since using this book my LinkedIn profile has had a major increase in "hits", and searching my name in Google brings me up in the first 5 links. It's up to date and on my desk at all times. Joshua's website, careerenlightenment.com , has also been helpful. Thanks Joshua!
July 30, 2017
Useful Linkedin info, which is what I was seeking. I am hoping to improve my weak linkedin profile as it may give me the edge I need to get a second or even a full time job in the my area.
November 27, 2013
I have to give this book three stars because I have strong inclinations pulling me to both extremes of the star spectrum here.
On one side, I have not enough great things to say about this book. Waldman gives you the behind the scenes look at how HR recruiters and hiring managers use the Internet and social media. He points you to the most popular sites they use so you can see what they see. He shows you how to assess your online presence from their perspective, and he provides lots of great ways for you to set yourself apart from the crowd of other job seekers.
On the other side, I have not enough awful things to say about this book. A good deal of his step-by-step instructions are out of date because Google and other services have changed their user interfaces and/or service offerings since Waldman wrote the book. That means some of his advice sounds great when you read it but then becomes worthless when you find that you can't implement it. And then there is the biggest irritant of all --- using Waldman's techniques haven't provided me with the results I expected.
For example, I applied his advice about using SEO from existing job postings to craft my LinkedIn profile. What difference did that make in the traffic my profile garnered? None. I've actually found my profile entering more search results by doing other things to my profile, like adding recommendations and presentations that describe former accomplishments and demonstrate present skills. Of course, Waldman gave me those ideas, but they were not presented with the idea of increasing search results. An SEO-crafted profile was presented in that context, and I didn't see the promised results from that activity.
I understand that you have to tinker with it, but that's the other downside. Who wants to spend tons of time constantly changing their profiles to find just the right combination of elements that produces the promised results? I don't. I just want to put in something that works the first time.
There IS a lot of great stuff in Waldman's book, so I can't steer people away from it in good conscience. But if you are getting this book thinking that it will help you get a job, you might want to think twice about that. It may very well help you. On the other hand, I haven't seen those results from my application of Waldman's material.
On one side, I have not enough great things to say about this book. Waldman gives you the behind the scenes look at how HR recruiters and hiring managers use the Internet and social media. He points you to the most popular sites they use so you can see what they see. He shows you how to assess your online presence from their perspective, and he provides lots of great ways for you to set yourself apart from the crowd of other job seekers.
On the other side, I have not enough awful things to say about this book. A good deal of his step-by-step instructions are out of date because Google and other services have changed their user interfaces and/or service offerings since Waldman wrote the book. That means some of his advice sounds great when you read it but then becomes worthless when you find that you can't implement it. And then there is the biggest irritant of all --- using Waldman's techniques haven't provided me with the results I expected.
For example, I applied his advice about using SEO from existing job postings to craft my LinkedIn profile. What difference did that make in the traffic my profile garnered? None. I've actually found my profile entering more search results by doing other things to my profile, like adding recommendations and presentations that describe former accomplishments and demonstrate present skills. Of course, Waldman gave me those ideas, but they were not presented with the idea of increasing search results. An SEO-crafted profile was presented in that context, and I didn't see the promised results from that activity.
I understand that you have to tinker with it, but that's the other downside. Who wants to spend tons of time constantly changing their profiles to find just the right combination of elements that produces the promised results? I don't. I just want to put in something that works the first time.
There IS a lot of great stuff in Waldman's book, so I can't steer people away from it in good conscience. But if you are getting this book thinking that it will help you get a job, you might want to think twice about that. It may very well help you. On the other hand, I haven't seen those results from my application of Waldman's material.
April 12, 2012
Everyone says that using social media is the contemporary way to find a job. This book attempts to painlessly take the reader through the process.
First, do an online search of your own name to see what the Internet says about you. If there are any drunken or racy photos of you on Facebook, for instance, restrict their availability, or delete them, now. You can count on a potential employer doing the same search. If an online search comes up empty, the author explains how to fix it. Why should a potential employer consider someone who doesn't exist online? Next, you need to come up with your own personal brand. What do you want potential employers to know about you? How will you distinguish yourself from the millions of other online job seekers? Use keywords that search engines will recognize, but don't go overboard.
For those interested in any sort of professional job, LinkedIn should be the first site to visit and fill out a profile. Consider joining, and contributing to, a few groups, to let as many people as possible know that you exist. Put your resume online, with an appropriate number of search engine keywords. Target it for different companies. Find some way to tell a potential employer what you can do for them, how you can make their lives easier. Don't tell them what you have done in the past. Consider a video resume, especially if you are interested in an arts or creative position.
Strongly consider signing up for Facebook and twitter, if you have not already done so. They are both good ways of expanding your network, of letting more people know that you are job hunting. Be sure to follow your target company/companies. The book also looks at connecting with the specific hiring manager at your target company. In more and more cases, they will be doing the hiring, not the Human Resources Department, which has been scaled back, or abolished.
There is a lot to job searching online, and this book does an excellent job at explaining it, clearly and succinctly. Even if you do only a few things in this book, and not all of them, you will be far ahead of most job seekers. It is very much worth the money.
First, do an online search of your own name to see what the Internet says about you. If there are any drunken or racy photos of you on Facebook, for instance, restrict their availability, or delete them, now. You can count on a potential employer doing the same search. If an online search comes up empty, the author explains how to fix it. Why should a potential employer consider someone who doesn't exist online? Next, you need to come up with your own personal brand. What do you want potential employers to know about you? How will you distinguish yourself from the millions of other online job seekers? Use keywords that search engines will recognize, but don't go overboard.
For those interested in any sort of professional job, LinkedIn should be the first site to visit and fill out a profile. Consider joining, and contributing to, a few groups, to let as many people as possible know that you exist. Put your resume online, with an appropriate number of search engine keywords. Target it for different companies. Find some way to tell a potential employer what you can do for them, how you can make their lives easier. Don't tell them what you have done in the past. Consider a video resume, especially if you are interested in an arts or creative position.
Strongly consider signing up for Facebook and twitter, if you have not already done so. They are both good ways of expanding your network, of letting more people know that you are job hunting. Be sure to follow your target company/companies. The book also looks at connecting with the specific hiring manager at your target company. In more and more cases, they will be doing the hiring, not the Human Resources Department, which has been scaled back, or abolished.
There is a lot to job searching online, and this book does an excellent job at explaining it, clearly and succinctly. Even if you do only a few things in this book, and not all of them, you will be far ahead of most job seekers. It is very much worth the money.
April 15, 2012
Social media has really revolutionized the way we now search for a job. It used to be that we sent out piles of resumes hoping to convince a potential employer that they should do an interview. Then, in the interview, we could open up a bit about our passions and goals while showing the interviewer how we could benefit their company.
With social media, potential employers can simple Google your name to get a picture of who you are and if you’d fit with their company. You could have the best resume with a long history of practical work experience but if your Facebook photo album is filled with drunk and disorderly pictures or you have a blog that details how you steal paperclips, odds are you aren’t getting the job.
Fortunately, the exact same mechanisms can also be used to highlight your hobbies, share your expertise, and connect with others who have similar interests. Basically, you have a free chance to make an impression beyond the resume that looks the same as everyone else’s. A potential employee (or head hunter) Googles your name (or comes across your name when looking at a specific topic) and sees your face and a well written article, a solid twitter following, or that you regularly blog on the topic. Your chances of getting the job of your dreams suddenly improve exponentially.
With social media, potential employers can simple Google your name to get a picture of who you are and if you’d fit with their company. You could have the best resume with a long history of practical work experience but if your Facebook photo album is filled with drunk and disorderly pictures or you have a blog that details how you steal paperclips, odds are you aren’t getting the job.
Fortunately, the exact same mechanisms can also be used to highlight your hobbies, share your expertise, and connect with others who have similar interests. Basically, you have a free chance to make an impression beyond the resume that looks the same as everyone else’s. A potential employee (or head hunter) Googles your name (or comes across your name when looking at a specific topic) and sees your face and a well written article, a solid twitter following, or that you regularly blog on the topic. Your chances of getting the job of your dreams suddenly improve exponentially.
March 4, 2013
The market on job titles has grown as the unemployment number has shot up. When I picked this title off of my library's shelf, there were close to two hundred other titles in the same section marked "career". As I skimmed through Waldman's book, I found relatively similar advice that I previously discovered in other career self help titles. The sections included resumes, cover letter, finding what you want to do, actually applying for work, ect. What I did love about this title was the different websites Waldman highlights. Everything from production applications that are free to use, using fiverr.com to boost your blog's profile, even contact management tools that let you manage multiple accounts at the same time. However much I am skeptical of the "For Dummies" series, if a reader needs help boosting their internet profile this might be a good book to start.
June 13, 2014
Overall a very good manual to helping you maximize social media in the job search. I already knew a lot of this given my heavy presence on social media and background in career services, but I think it is a worthwhile read for newbies and experienced social media users alike. It covers a lot of the basics with establishing accounts, but then moves more into personal branding and establishing a strong online reputation. Once you have that, you can really leverage it to network and tap into the hidden job market. At times though, I almost thought there was TOO much detail and too many options/ways to do things so I got a bit overwhelmed and actually found myself skimming those sections.
June 13, 2012
This book’s focus really spoke to me and I just had to read it. My current job search has been connected to social media like never before and my interest in both is at an all-time high at the moment. While this book covered the basics that I already knew, it also provided a LOT of in-depth information and tidbits that were incredibly useful.
I reviewed this book more indepth on my professional blog. http://wp.me/p2ofKQ-63
I reviewed this book more indepth on my professional blog. http://wp.me/p2ofKQ-63
August 29, 2016
I was actually surprised that I got considerable insight out of this book.
Keep in mind that some of the resources listed in the book are outdated- some platforms no longer exist, others have updated their interfaces multiple times since the publishing of the book.
I don't really see the value of a video resume (at least for my field), but I did appreciate the idea of an online CV.
Keep in mind that some of the resources listed in the book are outdated- some platforms no longer exist, others have updated their interfaces multiple times since the publishing of the book.
I don't really see the value of a video resume (at least for my field), but I did appreciate the idea of an online CV.
Read
February 14, 2013Read certain sections of this to help with a computers and job search course I'm teaching. I'm not a fan of the "for Dummies" style, in general, but there's a lot of good stuff here for people that are looking at how to use sites like twitter and linkedin for job-searching purposes.
June 14, 2014
Extremely helpful for job seekers, but I use it to keep my social media profiles up to date even though I'm not looking for a job! Joshua knows the ins and outs of how to build your personal brand through social media. Love it!
December 4, 2012
I've read a number of these types of books for work, and this one was informative without being a rehash of other books or articles.
September 23, 2012
Learn how to use LinkedIn, Twitter and other social media sites to facilitate your job search
Read
April 19, 2018Great book for those job hunting in the age of social media. Josh wrote a great book that helps explain job searching and the tools that are necessities these days. Also Josh mentioned my company ItsMyURLs in the book which was great!
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews