The holiday season is the best time to accelerate your job search for many reasons. Companies are planning for 2013 and will want to get the new year started off with full staffing. This is also the time when too many other job seekers pull back, making the the market a little less competitive. Watch your target companies on Twitter; build your LinkedIn network and contribute to your LinkedIn groups; get out to any and all face-to-face networking opportunities; and prepare for those tough interview questions. Let’s get you working on January 2, 2013.

Yes! You must. I’ve been told that 95% of recruiters use LinkedIn and everyone checks up on your web presence. Not using LinkedIn to its full value tells the recruiter you’re lazy — or living in another century. Here are some tips from the University of Phoenix: http://www.phoenix.edu/forward/careers/2012/10/how-to-use-social-media-to-boost-your-career.html

Jessica Pierce of Career Connectors (careerconnectors.org) spoke to the Resume Writers Council of Arizona (RWCA.org) on Saturday, January 28 about using Twitter in the job search. Such an important tool — right along with LinkedIn.

Those jobseekers who do not use social media are putting themselves at a great disadvantage. Jessica offered statistics showing that many, many companies are using Twitter to post job announcements – first. Don’t you want you want to be there too?

And, of course, LinkedIn can’t be beat for making connections in your top-choice companies. Once you build your network …

Take the time to sign up on both of these sites; complete your profiles; and start using these free tools to give yourself an edge in the job market.

Jason Alba, the LinkedIn guru (I’m on LinedIn– Now What???) has now written a sequel for job seekers. Order the CD at https://www.jibberjobber.com/pay.php?ceotraining=true 

Jason will be coming to Phoenix the 2nd week in February to speak at a number of job seekers club groups. Be there! Learn more about the value of the social media tool from the expert.