Social networks. There can't be one of us that doesn't use one! But can they actually help in your hunt for graduate jobs?

Facebook, by far the most popular social network amongst students, is starting to be used by stacks of graduate recruiters but few go beyond a token presence. And perhaps more importantly, many students feel pretty uncomfortable about using a personal tool for for professional ends.

Which brings us to LinkedIn, a pure business networking tool. It should be a dream for students trying to stand out from their peers but it's surprising how many are stumped by it. Partly this is because it seems to work best for people who already have a professional network. It may also lack relevance for the biggest graduate employers who have more formal recruitment processes. But for the hundreds of small to medium sized companies often priced out of traditional campus recruitment, it's a different story. We recently stumbled upon this video which gives a really simple introduction into how to use LinkedIn and why it should be in every student's armoury in their hunt for graduate jobs.

Yes it's slightly U.S. focussed and yes it's from LinkedIn who naturally want you to join their network but it makes a pretty powerful point.

Have a watch and see what you think...

You might also want to check-out their blog 

This is the first in a series of guest blogs by our über intern Natasha who has spent the summer with CareerPlayer

07.30 AM: Bran flakes, coffee and Facebook.

If anyone assesses my Facebook page they will establish that it is a place where my friends, family, past and present can connect to me at any time of the day. However, it's not only friends and family that we can establish constructive connections with via online networking. 

After five weeks at CareerPlayer I have realized that there are a myriad of tools that students can use to find graduate jobs. There is one tool in particular that I feel compelled to bring to your attention. Social networks! Social networks are excellent for facilitating the search for a graduate placement. “Identify what your goals are and surround yourself with the people you need to help you achieve them.” This is easier than ever before!

Twitter is my top recommendation for connecting with graduate employers. Twitter is a brilliant tool for you to broadcast what you want out of your graduate career. However, that alone is not enough. You must make sure that the right people are listening! By ‘following’ the leaders in your target industry you can grab the attention of your future employers. It is a fantastic opportunity for you to gain answers to your questions. In addition, you gain an invaluable insight into the finest minds in the business! You can find out what they watch, read and even eat! This increases the ease of understanding the people and the mechanics of the industry you intend to work in. Through maximizing your knowledge, you maximize the chances of you landing your dream graduate job! Twitter may also help prevent you making any fatal graduate career mistakes. Linking with potential employers and colleagues will enable you to paint a picture of the personality of a company. Don’t like what you see? Then you can immediately eliminate them as a target employer. Therefore, saving time in applying for a graduate position in a company you will loathe working for. 

LinkedIn is a network that is fantastic for connecting with business professionals. LinkedIn is similar to most social networks in the sense that you can exchange messages with industry experts. However, there is the additional opportunity to read their CV’s. This will help you better establish how people achieved their current positions.    

And of course we cannot forget our beloved Facebook! Loads of graduate employers are starting to create pages on Facebook so it's easier than ever before to interact with companies you're interested in...just be careful your profile reflects the kind of image you'd want then to see. You want catch their attention for the right reasons...

Graduate job hunting is certainly no walk in the park! Let the friends in your network know what you're looking for and allow them to support you online via posting valuable newspaper articles, videos and links. “I saw this and thought of you” could now enable you to nail your first graduate job!

For further information, keep your eyes peeled for the CareerPlayer video on social networking coming soon...