Traditional job search strategies focused on networking, classified ads, job boards, and other online and offline job search resources. In my work with thousands of job seekers, I have learnt that job search success rates are the highest with networking and, done right, can often fall in the range of 60% to 80%, or even higher for savvy networkers.

For years, career professionals have sworn by the power of networking. We are justified, though. Every single day, we hear about success stories that confirm our faith in the power of networking.

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I have come across numerous stories where clients found jobs through massage therapists and fellow-commuters -- and these are not isolated, serendipitous incidences. Networking absolutely works.

Fortunately, there is good news for those individuals who until now dreaded the very thought of networking.

Over the past few years, business dynamics have undergone a rapid transformation and much of what used to be accomplished in a face-to-face setting is now done via the medium of the Internet. Even sales professionals have started harnessing the power of the Internet and often seek out prospects online. Cutting-edge networking platforms and social networking sites, such as LinkedIn, FaceBook, MySpace, and others in the breed have replaced traditional prospecting and business generation models. What used to take hours (or even days) earlier is now accomplished with just a few clicks.

Job search dynamics have taken heed to this burgeoning trend and, much like business prospecting, savvy job seekers are exploiting social networking sites to generate potential job leads and make insider connections. Hiring managers and recruiters, too, have started recognizing the power of social networking and make abundant use of the medium to accomplish a variety of tasks, from posting job vacancies to seeking referrals to researching (and even screening) candidates. I have even read about experiences where a candidate’s connections were considered “very impressive” by prospective hiring managers.

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I am not surprised. Consider a sales professional, for instance. Wouldn’t a sales representative with over 500 insider contacts with top-level executives on LinkedIn be “an absolute catch” for any ambitious sales team.

The adage “tell me your company, and I shall tell you who you are,” finds new meaning in this rapidly changing job search marketplace. It is even possible that HR managers may make “first impressions” based on what you post and whom you are connected to on these social networking sites.

Caveat: The Internet is not anonymous anymore and you must be absolutely careful about what you post and whom you connect with. A simple Google search with your name could pull up more information than you would like. And those party pictures that you thought no one would know about might just be a few clicks away.

WANT YOUR RESUME PROFESSIONALLY DONE? Call us for a free initial consultation: 1.888.873.7863 or write to us at info@resumecorner.com For more information, visit www.resumecorner.com or to order your resume visit: http://www.resumecorner.com/orderresume.html