Searching for a job can be an intimidating process! It can be especially so for that young adult straddling the in-between place of college and the 'real-world.' And if your young adult is particularly shy or reserved, that can pile on the stress to an already daunting process. However, today's reticent job seekers have an advantage from when you first entered the job market... online networking.
The web is a perfect place for your son or daughter to meet professionals searching for the right brand of talent. To help your adult child leverage their online networking effort, offer these suggestions:
Participate regularly.
Have your son or daughter log on often and continuously to get their name out there and become familiar with the hot topics in their field. In addition, while your young adult may be somewhat new to the industry, offering help to others can be a big boost to their career. Encourage them to share what they know. It can also help land them a mentor in the field who can provide contacts and professional experience - which can be extremely helpful in their career search.
Be willing to learn new things - from both beginners and seasoned professionals.
As a young adult, your son or daughter is probably more computer savvy than some of the seasoned professionals who entered the job market without today's new technological skills. Your son or daughter may, therefore, gravitate toward aligning themselves online with other like-minded or similarly-aged contacts. But encourage them to branch out, and learn from the older set that may have a better grasp on how to manage the career game.
Use blogging to become better acquainted with their industry.
Parents are sometimes skeptical of encouraging young adults to become too immersed in various computer practices, particularly if they themselves are not familiar with the techniques. But as blogging continues to grow in credibility and popularity, it is a valuable source of getting your son or daughter's name out there in the right circles. Particularly if your son or daughter likes to write, you can encourage them to start their own blog as a means of making a name for themselves. Or encourage them to become active participants in other blogs; even large companies today have functional regularly updated blogs. Consider blogging similar to passing out business cards; yet in a more meaningful and intellectually intimate way. Blogging also allows your young adult to learn about their field even after college and to keep them abreast of new ideas and developments in their industry.
Hallie Crawford
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