Jobseekers often get told that ‘it’s not what you know, but who you know’, and although clichéd this piece of advice is not completely without merit. When looking for a new career, savvy jobseekers have long been wise to the potential benefits of good networking. And as the job market has contracted in recent years, many have tried to stay ahead of the curve by combining traditional forms of networking with online alternatives aimed at finding a new job and adding to their list of contacts.

LinkedIn is one of the best known online resources in this area. LinkedIn is a social networking site designed specifically for commercial and business relationships. As well as helping people to preserve and nurture existing relationships, it also performs a corporate matchmaking function, allowing users track down and find out about people who work for the companies they want to join. 55 million people have joined LinkedIn, each with a myspace-style page describing their employment history and education. Think of it as Facebook for careerists; users can send messages to each other, recommend current and former colleagues, and develop virtual networks of potentially influential contacts.

Mention Twitter and many people will think of Stephen Fry or bromide insights. But Twitter can be a valuable part of a career management strategy, boosting job prospects and helping jobseekers to keep their finger on the pulse. It’s possible to exploit the small world phenomenon and make a good name for oneself by building up a list of industry contacts and posting considered tweets on personal experiences.

But career planning through online networks is not free from pitfalls. Stuart Maclennan’s high-profile demise following a series of egregiously offensive tweets is a case in point, highlighting the career-ending potential of Twitter when used recklessly and without an awareness of possible unintended readers. Rather than using LinkedIn and Twitter as substitutes for more traditional forms of networking, they should be seen as complementary.

Online networking sites may not spell the end of traditional Filofax-type networking and hard copy CVs, but they are becoming an increasingly useful means of finding a new career and showcasing your abilities.

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