By Dee Carter

Social media has dramatically changed the contemporary landscape. It has revolutionized the way people are able to meet and keep in touch. It is also arguably one of the first places where individuals learn of breaking news. However, while these are generally common examples of how social media is being used in today’s society, more and more often it is beginning to fill a niche that had previously been filled by newspaper classified ads or online job recruitment websites. With an ever growing frequency, social media is beginning to help job seekers find meaningful careers.

However, how does something that was conceived with socialization in mind become a spearhead of career growth in this new economy? Here are a few reasons why and some advice on how to maximize the impact of social media on your job hunt.

First, social media facilitates an old fashioned idea: networking, or finding a job though preexisting social contacts. It is by no means a new idea. Many readers may very well remember their college or university career services offices telling them to go out into the world and network, network, network. Well, online it is generally the same idea. However, instead of attending a social function and talking about or hearing of job prospects, the social function has moved to the internet. The only » Read more: Social Media: How Social Media Can Help You Find and Get a Job