Blog Post: Strengthen your virtual network

We've discussed so many times in the past few weeks about using social media in your job search and the basic do's and don't's, but just because you have set up profile accounts and RSS feeds for your favorite Jobing bloggers, doesn't mean you are an active part of your network. You cannot just sit back and hope people remember you simply because you are virtually connected. Just like in-person relationships, you need to continuously interact with people you want to stay connected with.

Here are a few things you can do:

Give credit where it is due to help extend exposure - for example, if you see a "tweet" from someone in your network that you find interesting. re tweet it! This helps get their message out and get them connected with more people. Trust me, everyone is tracking how often their name comes up and who is helping them gain exposure.

Reach out - send periodic emails or messages through social media connections that checks-in with your contacts. See how they are doing and ask what you can be doing to help them. Virtual networks are typically very large and it's easy to get lost in the mix.

Become a resource - send relevant information out to your contacts. This can be about personal topics that you know they have an interest in, or business topics. They can be in the form of articles, blogs, videos, whatever. This shows that you have taken an interest in that person and you now become someone they look to for information.

Remember to be thankful - Tweeting Etiquette 101. If someone quotes you or re-tweets you, remember to THANK them. It is one more touch point for you to stay actively engaged with them. It's quick, easy and a gracious thing to do.

However you choose to do it, be sure to stay connected and active in your virtual networks.