Job Search Advice: Friend Version, Tip 3

I’m out of town this week (Liz will take care of you if you need help, just go to the Contact form)…. here’s a series of five things I’d tell a friend if he/she just started a job search.

Tip 3, Day 3: Use technology as a too, but don’t let it become your excuse.

There is no doubt that I, as the founder of JibberJobber, will encourage you to get an account on JibberJobber.  I’ll also encourage you to get on LinkedIn, and use other technology as a tool.

But do not get sucked into the idea that using technology is your job search.  You still need to have real human connections and conversations.  Hiding behind a job tracking spreadsheet, tweeking this sheet and adding that column and creating this formula and color coding those cells… don’t go there.  You could spend weeks doing that, in the name of your job search.

In reality, you are simply hiding behind technology, because you are too chicken to do what needs to be done.

Call people on the phone, every day. Go to network meetings, meet people, and ask them to lunch (or for more time, even if it’s just in the lobby or foyer).  Relationships… humans.  Playing the “will you connect with me” game on LinkedIn is not only a waste of time, it can mislead you and make you think you are really “networking,” when you are just making a superficial connection that doesn’t go any further than “sure, let’s connect.”

Technology is a tool – and tools are important – but there is WORK to be done.

Do that work (the work you are afraid to d0).  Embrace it.