Facebook Groups Are Here To Help Women Find Work

facebook inc Groups Are Here To Help Women Find Work Youve been trying left, right and any other way you can think of to land a new job. Youve applied online, youve scoured your network and believe youre having all of the right conversations yet nothing is panning out. How frustrating What is the deal?First things first, timing is everything. Its annoying to hear, I know, but its true. Searching for your next career move can take time and a lot of effort, but dont lose heart. Chances are, you havent played all of your cards just yet.Have you tried Facebook?Yes, I know your news feed can be a black hole of cat videos or a number of other random things youd typically find on social media, but consider Facebook groups, which can be an extremely valuable tool to those of you on the job hunt. Facebook groups are an excellent way to make valuable connections with like-minded people and to make new friends. By connecting with other members, you can learn about potential career tracks and d ifferent organizations. Here are two easy steps to help you get started1. Find your tribe.Just like there is a cap for every pen, there is a Facebook group for every type of person. Find yours. Likely, there are several that might be a good fit for you.For instance, I belong to a few. I am (and want to be) working with female entrepreneurs (henceTech LadiesandDreamers/Doers) Im a coach and belong to several coaching Facebook groups (Ipec andCoach Pony Mastermind, among others). I like to have conversations with people who have similar interests, can provide different perspectives and want to nerd out with me about stuff were mutually passionate about.In those groups, members share challenges they are facing, opportunities at their companies and upcoming events that might be of interest. Basically anything and everything under the sun. Think about the type of work that lights you up. What could you spend hours discussing? Use that inspiration to start digging. Somewhere on Facebook, there exists a group dedicated to exactly that realm.It make take you some time to find the perfect Facebook group for you. Not every group is an open group. A group of bloggers youve heard about may be a secret group, while a group of home-based geschftlicher umgang entrepreneurs may be a close group that requires a group admin invite to join. Similar to how you build a professional network of contacts, youll want to approach building out your social network the same way. Research the community very carefully (which, yes, includes reading the group description) and determine how you can become one of its members.2. Join the conversation.When youve found what feels like the right type of group for you, dont be shy. Jump right into those conversations and start posting. Ask people about their backgrounds, where they work an, how you might be able to help them achieve something that they are working on in some way. Share photos, business ideas and other interesting content. Be open an d inquisitive in a genuine way. Engage and be a part of the conversations.If someone takes to the group to vent about an especially challenging situation at work, offer support even if you dont see yourself as an expert in that realm. Sometimes, its just about having a good person who is willing to listen and validate what youre thinking or a person who is willing to tell you if youre nutsAttend events and put faces to names if at all possible. Put yourself out there. Tell your story and be vulnerable enough to share what brings you to the user group and what you are hoping to achieve. If your dream is to be a developer at a certain start-up in NYC ask the group if they know anyone that works at that company who would be willing to chat for five minutes. If youre moving to a new town and want someone to connect with for a drink, ask the group. Maybe even reach out to the group administrator to learn how they built the community where youre meeting all these new people You never kno w what posts (and the users that write them) could lead you to the next career move. And you never know if another group member could become your new BFF.So, if youre going the Facebook group route one last thing to note. Your profile will become fair game. If youre asking for career help from someone in a group, its safe to assume theyll scope out your page. Your Facebook profile should be a balance of the you that your real-life friends see, and the you that you would want a business owner or your colleagues to see. If you come off as super unprofessional, it might not leave the best impression. Be mindful of what youre sharing and the settings youre using when doing so. (Now would be a really great time to go check your Facebook privacy setting)We automatically tend to think of LinkedIn when searching for jobs. Dont get me wrong that is also an excellent social media platform to use during your search, but its not the only game in town. Get creative, join a group app and look a t Facebook from another perspective.--Kelly is a philanthropisch resources pro and coach who helps people find and achieve what they want career-wise and beyond. Coaching, training, recruiting if you name it in the world of HR, shes done it in a variety of industries. Her advice has been featured on The Muse, Career Contessa, Levo, Workology, among others. Learn more by scoping her out at www.kellypoulson.com.