Can you guess what these three words have in common? Well, if you have any familiarity with social media, then you know that Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter are among the most popular sites for social networking. But, did you know they can do more than alert the online world what you’re up to at 7:36pm? Did you know these social networks might actually help you get a job?

You may have used Facebook as a mechanism to avoid boredom, or maybe you’re all too familiar with tweeting about your crazy day or random night.  But these social media outlets are actually some of the most powerful tools in the job search process today. According to MSNC, Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn are, “transforming the job search process, enabling more and more people to connect with potential employers, promote their own skills, set up support groups and search for job leads and contacts.”

In, “Looking For a Job? Try LinkedIn or Twitter,” the article suggests that getting creative with your social networking site, like tweeting about your skills and abilities, creating a resume on LinkedIn, or demonstrating why you’re a qualified candidate through Facebook, is essentially producing an online resume and portfolio through which potential employers can navigate.  According to MSNBC, “job seekers have gotten job leads and tips on networking events that they otherwise would have missed, had it not been for their Twitter or Facebook account.”

So next time you’re tweeting about how tired you are in class or perusing the updated friends list on your Facebook page, think about what you might be able to do through your own social networking site that could lead to a job! In the meantime, follow Career Services on Twitter or Facebook here!