For much of the spring semester the Mason Career Services (MCS) staff has been fielding inquiries by students who advocate a one-stop online resource for access to all of the job search portals that are currently available. If this were possible, we would certainly have been “on it” yesterday.

The reality is that if you’re seeking a full-time job or internship, you must have an active presence on as many online networking sites as possible. There are numerous employers, for example, that are now posting their openings via Twitter, Facebook, and/or LinkedIn. Likewise, one of the best means of accessing William & Mary and/or Mason School alumni is through social media conversations.

For those of you who are already actively connected on these sites, I encourage you to keep in touch with and frequently add connections to your respective networks. Fan pages, Follow feeds and Connect with groups where you can access contacts, career advice and job and employer updates. The MCS team provides daily updates that can help you in your career search. If you are not currently an active participant, what follows is a “refresher” on the “Big Four” networking sites that you can easily access through the MCS homepage.

• Twitter features job/internship leads and timely commentary from employers and a host of career services professionals, including feeds from MCS staffers Peggy Gesing , Jenn Crippen and MasonCareers. Employer relations updates, references to helpful job search articles, and job/internship leads are updated regularly for your benefit.
• Facebook has been considered “off limits” for employers up until now.  A professional networking component has grown to complement that of the well-established Facebook social network.  William & Mary/Mason faculty, staff, and alumni abound on these pages, as do employers posting job and internship opportunities.  Be sure to “clean up” your Facebook page so that it represents the professional “you” — employers expect this from their applicants.
• LinkedIn, one of the most powerful professional networking sites, is a must for you to join and actively participate. Alumni, faculty, staff and employers alike are actively connecting here. Connecting with MCS staff provides you with updates on which employers we’re cultivating for your benefit.
• my1693 is the primary alumni database that is maintained by the William & Mary Alumni Affairs office. It is a storehouse of information on thousands of alumni from across the College. These alums have voluntarily submitted their contact information because they want to connect with people like you. You must set up an account for yourself and wait for Alumni Association approval before you can start accessing alumni information, but once you’re in you can locate alums by location, company, profession, and graduation year.

Each of these sites has proven invaluable in bringing students, alumni and employers together for common professional purposes.  If you’re not already doing so, I suggest that you make these networking vehicles a part of your everyday job search– you’ll be glad you did.