Use Nonprofessional Social Networks to Find a Job

A quick look at Wikipedia's List of Social Networking Websites gives you an idea of the array of social networks out there. As the Wikipedia site states, "the list is not exhaustive, and is limited to some notable, well-known sites."

The list ranges in subject matter from Anime to Web biographies (and everything in between). None are specifically about job search (although LinkedIn and a few others have job search functions). So how can these networks help with your job hunt? If you have common interests with any of the networks on this list, do the following:

1. Join it.
2. Make contacts with folks who share your values, interests, and passions.
3. Use the network's functionality (such as special groups and Q&As) to build your list of contacts and establish rapport with them.
4. Ask your network contacts if they know of job openings or have industry information that would be useful to your job search.

I'm not suggesting you join these networks just for the purpose of exploiting people for your job search. I'm saying, join networks that you're sincerely interested in, enjoy the online community for its subject matter, and keep an eye out for opportunities that might serve your job search. In fact, doing this could uncover a new career option in a field you're passionate about. Wouldn't it be cool to have a job you really love and believe in?