Keeping Up Your Job Search Vocabulary

The way we job search has moved to a new frontier. We have expanded our job search beyond the traditional methods of word of mouth, using the phone or mailing our resume. Now with a smartphone, you can be in touch or do research 24-7 from just about anywhere.

Like a Trekkie, we are moving our job search strategy to “where no one has gone before.” Change happens.  What was once cutting edge now starts to fade and is improved or replaced. You have to evolve and move forward too or risk becoming outdated.

Here is a primer to expand your job search vocabulary:

Netiquette - network etiquette. This is the Internet merging with Emily Post. The guidelines are a code of conduct for acceptable behavior for online communication.

Wikipedia - a web-based, free encyclopedia written and edited by volunteers. The site combines the word “wiki,” a type of collaborative website along with “encyclopedia.” Since Wikipedia is a collaboration, be aware that it contains some misinformation and bias. Consider it a starting point for research.

Googling - obtaining information on the Web using the search engine Google. You can google an employer during your research. Google your name. See how you show up.

Digital Dirt - An employer or recruiter can find information about you on the Internet that is not complimentary. It might show you as you lapsed in judgment with your words/actions or were photographed at a party. Remember what happened to Olympic swimmer, Michael Phelps? Ouch!

Blog - a contraction of “web log” is a free, shared on-line journal where people can post diary entries about their personal experiences, expertise, hobbies, you name it. A blog is frequently updated and meant for public consumption and comment. Today, specific blogs are being created like corporate blogs (internal/external/ceo), video blogs (YouTube) and mp3 blogs (music/audio).

Social Networking - the way users build online networks of contacts and interact with personal or business friends. We have seen our sons and daughters on Facebook and now mature adults are using it too. Just don't go too far with your postings or photos as your reputation is at stake. Professionals can meet and be introduced to other business contacts through LinkedIn.

Microblogging - allows the subscriber to broadcast short messages to other subscribers of the Web service. Microposts can appear on a website and/or be distributed to a group of subscribers in real time as an instant message or a cell phone text message.

Microblogging is immediate, portable and brief. Presidential candidate Obama used Twitter on the campaign trail to the White House. The New York Times and the BBC are sending headlines and links. You can follow others as they tweet and you can tweet as well.  What possibilities can you create to forward your job search?

JibberJobber - Need to get more organized with your job search? If a spiral notebook or Excel spreadsheet doesn’t work, www.jibberjobber.com could aid your career management.

“E” - in front of any word, means electronic. We know about email, but the list continues with esignature, ezine, ecommerce, etc. Watch for more e-words as our e-world continues into new frontiers!