If you’ve heard me say it once, you’ve heard me say it a thousand times— don’t underestimate the power of social media. But is it really more effective than your expertly crafted resume? Well, yes and no but we’ll get into that. Good news for you, today we’re going over a chat I had with my dear friend James Quick, a full-time content creator in the tech world. He’s also a fellow believer in the power of the “network.”
Side note, if y’all can come up with a new word or phrase to replace the sterile corporate jargon that is ‘network,’ it’d be greatly appreciated. It makes me feel like I should be wearing a suit and shaking hands.
Anyway, get a peep inside our homes and minds here:
Or, for all you hyper-efficient people out there, here are the main points:
I know some of you reading this may be on the job search, recently laid off or you might not be feeling the baby bear “just right” feelings for your job. And to that, I say keep carrying on with the main three:
- Keep putting out thoughtful content about topics you want to be known for
- Don’t stop DMing
- Talk to some recruiters
But maybe you’re in the content dread void of, “I don’t want to video myself, no one will be interested in what I have to say, it seems like a lot to take on, I’d rather spend that extra time learning new skills.” Well, James said it, not me— if it makes you uncomfortable, get over it. Feeling uncomfortable is temporary, the value you gain is forever or something like that. When James was laid off, he posted about it on Twitter (which probably felt awkward, right?) and got over 100 DMs overnight with valid job opportunities. But none of that would’ve happened if he hadn’t been, you guessed it, regularly engaging and contributing to his online community.
Let’s take video content off the table for a bit, and talk about the first steps of dipping your toe into the waters of content creation. Just be active somewhere. Try Twitter to start. Really— just tweet about something you’re experiencing in your career (a problem, a solution you found, a common frustration). Don’t forget that you’re writing your own narrative here. If you want to be known as a React person, tweet about React and engage with other people talking about it. One sentence can get you and your name in front of thousands of people with a couple of clicks. No ring light or script required.
Okay so back to the main point— who’s going to win in a fight between resumes and social media content? Sure, resumes are your first foot in the door and the standardized first hoop you have to jump through. But, at the end of the day, aren’t they just words on a page? I could write that I have expert juggling skills, but until I show up to that interview and start yeeting flaming chainsaws how do those words have any truth? BUT, if I also had a YouTube channel with videos showing off my skills (which I definitely don’t have by the way… so don’t try to book me for your kid’s birthday or anything) hiring managers or whoever can see your work in action. Your social media presence is what makes your resume fully dimensional.
My final point: don’t wait to start building your network until you need it, build your network now for future you. Go out there and send that Tweet, make that comment, like that post, post about that new build. We’re all just a bunch of awkward uncomfortable nerds staring into varying sizes of screens too, my friend. And don’t forget, it’s a big deal if people offer you their time. It’s sincere, and they mean it. So 100% go and take advantage of that. Maybe start by messaging James on LinkedIn. He said he was cool with it so…
Is direct messaging a little too personal? Start here:
Top comments (2)
Side note, if y’all can come up with a new word or phrase to replace the sterile corporate jargon that is ‘network,’ it’d be greatly appreciated
I genuinely hate the word networking
The damn word makes the activity it's supposed to encourage feels like at best a chore, at worse something dirty.
It sounds like people are forcing you "for your own good" to be in a conference full of hundred of strangers, which is not everyone's cup of tea.
At worse I imagine people telling me to add tons of strangers on LinkedIn and using them to reach my goals.
What I'm doing it much simpler and saner than "networking".
Pro-tip: usually people want to drink a virtual café with you, but finding the right time is difficult. Use a tool like Calendly to let them pick the time whenever they like
Love this! 🔥