Job Hunting In The Internet Era

We’ve all heard about how the internet has revolutionized job hunting, to the extent that one can sit at home at the computer and never step foot outside, yet still find a lucrative job. Conversely, there are those who claim that no one ever finds a job through the internet, and that networking is truly the only way to find decent employment. Which of these viewpoints is correct?
As always, the truth is somewhere in between. Can the internet be a useful tool in one’s job hunt? Certainly. Should job-seekers go beyond their computer screens and reach out to friends in a more personal manner in order to increase their chances? Absolutely. Let’s take a look at some of the most basic yet effective techniques that can help one strategize around job hunting.
The internet

Sure, it’s unlikely that you’ll find the legal job of the century via monster.com or a similar job search site. Yet it’s not unheard of. Set your expectations low (read: close to nonexistent), and send out resumes for jobs that look appropriate. You’ll probably never hear from these firms, but you’re no worse off for spending some time each day on this. As the saying goes, shoot enough bullets into a forest and eventually a deer will walk in front of one.
Then there are other sites that may have more of a payoff, such as LinkedIn. You are using LinkedIn, aren’t you? While many people use a passive approach towards this networking site, i.e. ignoring it until they realize it could be useful in a job search, having your information out there can pay dividends even if you’re not particularly aggressive. One good way to spread the word that you’re looking is to indicate this on your LinkedIn profile, and to make sure that all of your contacts know your qualifications and what you’re looking for. This way they can keep you in mind should something come across their desks.
Then we get to Facebook and other social media/networking sites. Many people are hesitant to use a site that’s meant to be a social outlet for something as crass as job-hunting, and to a certain extent this is true. You don’t want to annoy your friends by constantly shilling for job leads. Yet putting the word out there that you’re looking for something in your field is more than appropriate. Think about it – presumably you’re friends with people on Facebook because you all like each other to some degree, and are willing to help each other out. So it stands to reason that if one of your friends hears of something appropriate to your background and experience, they’d want you to know, right? Don’t be shy about spreading the word; this is what networking is about these days, rather than standing around at cocktail parties exchanging business cards.
Not the internet

So does this mean that you actually can forego real-live networking and schmoozing and still find a real, honest-to-goodness job in an actual law office? Hmm, maybe. While you can probably skip going to job fairs and the like, however, it still pays to work on building your network of contacts, because these days, in this economy, it truly does boil down to who you know in many cases.
What does this mean?
It doesn’t mean going to self-proclaimed networking events and choking down cocktail weenies and overpriced drinks while gladhanding everyone within reaching distance. It means getting out there, talking to friends and letting them know that you’re on the market, and letting them tell their friends. It means going to local events put on by your law school’s alumni network. It means being involved in the activities that you enjoy and having an ever-widening circle of friends. Because the more people out there who are keeping you in mind, the better your chances are of finding that great legal job sooner rather than later.
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