Your Job Search: Don’t Let the Medium Get in the Way of the Message

Every day I read an informative article on using Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn for job searching. What worries me about it is the same thing that worries me about job boards: these vehicles can mask a poorly executed job search by making you think you are using your time wisely.

It goes back to what I call the Push Strategy, as opposed to the Pull Strategy. Do not fall victim to the Pull Strategy, which entails responding to what is out there in the ether by submitting your resume to job boards. This is the lazy way to conduct your search and will not get you where you want or need to be.

I’m not advocating ignoring social networking tools for your job search at all. My point is that they are only useful when used in a very focused way. And that means knowing exactly what you’re looking for and finding those who can guide you to it.

The Push Strategy is much much more challenging. It forces you to actually sit back and examine the package that is you—flawed though it may be—and make a decision about what you want to be doing and where you want to be doing it. No, it is not for the faint of heart. This is a real slog, and one best embarked upon with support. (And by that I do not mean a stiff drink; I mean a professional to guide you.)

So take a deep breath and come away from the computer screen. What you need to know is not online, it resides within.