Online networking can help boost job prospects

It is difficult to find the best jobs by using the conventional way of job hunting because they are hardly ever advertised. In reality, people are recommended for the positions by someone within their professional network who would also provide tips on how to ace the job interviews. Dr. Obi Igbokwe, CEO of Biohealthmatics.com ( http://www.biohealthmatics.com/ ), a biotechnology career website, agrees that to get the best jobs, it is important to have a solid network of contacts. He also mentions it is now easier to have those contacts by networking online.

Online networking, which involves the mutual exchange of information and knowledge between people through online forums and websites, has moved the art of networking from conferences, industry breakfasts and power lunches to the comfort and privacy of one’s home.

“Online networking not only provides the freedom of participants to get to know thousands of people from any part of the world at their own schedule, it also removes social barriers like shyness and financial barriers which include the cost of travelling and staying in hotels for conferences and industry events.” added Dr. Obi Igbokwe, speaking on the launch of the career networking service on Biohealthmatics.com.

Another advantage of online networking according to Dakotta J.K. Alex, a social networking expert and author of “Damn, I Need a Job. Again!” and “The Recruiters Guide Book”, is that it helps professionals keep abreast of the latest happenings in their industry and thus keeps their skills updated.

This is an area that Biohealthmatics.com is addressing with its online networking service, as registered members not only have an online forum where they can communicate, they can also post links to industry related websites, news headlines and articles written by themselves on the website. Users are awarded points for their contributions.

Dr. Obi Igbokwe says the reason behind this is to encourage users interact more with each other, by sharing knowledge. Their contributions and public interactions within the forums are the accessible from their profile page. This makes them more attractive to potential contacts, who are themselves, registered members. He also stressed that, when networking online, it is important to remember that getting to know and maintaining a relationship with the people in one’s private network is just as important as making the initial contact. With that in mind, people would soon find themselves being offered positions that they only ever dreamed of.

Esy Martinez is a freelance write for Biohealthmatics.com, a biotechnology and healthcare IT jobs search networking site.