At some point in each of our lives, we embark on a challenging job hunt. Some people only deal with a job search occasionally, switching careers as little as possible, while others must frequently find new work due to circumstances in their lives.

Regardless of how comfortable you are with the job hunt, it’s not something we typically enjoy doing; it’s a means to an end that we prefer to have completed as quickly as possible. Transitioning from one job to another can be a career disruption, and it’s definitely a life disruption. But you have something that academic scholars of the previous generation didn’t have: a virtual network. By learning how to leverage this network, you can make your job search more inclusive, and use those connections to land your next academic position.

Who’s in Your Virtual Network?

You might argue that you only have a handful of people on your social media profile, or that you don’t use social media at all, so how can you have a virtual network? You must think outside of this basic box. Your virtual network, also referred to as a virtual community, is much larger than you think, particularly if you’re on a platform geared toward academic scholars, like Impactio.

As with any network, you have an immediate community and an extended community. The Six Degrees of Separation theory postulates that we are connected to everyone we meet via a maximum of six people between us. With that theory guiding you, your virtual network is much larger than you think. The person sitting across from you at your interview, or the “random” woman in front of you in line at the coffee shop, and anyone else you run into is connected to you somehow. By leveraging that connection, you can use the strategy to put yourself in a position to find your next job. 

How to Leverage Your Network (Including Impactio) and Find Your Next Job 

From social media to your professional Impactio community, these five strategies will cement your network and guide your job search to be inclusive of those you’re already “connected” with:

1. Understand what to expect. What you’ll get out of your network is a direct reflection of what you’ve already put into it. If you’re rarely engaged in your in-person or virtual community, it’s going to take some time to create a presence. You may have to become more active online for a few weeks before people begin to associate you with the job openings they know about.
2. Get on the right platforms. Here’s the thing with social media. It’s for socializing, and some are more formal than others. If your goal is to find academic scholars to add to your network, you’ll have to be on sites like Impactio, not the informal platforms. Once you’re connected to a professional network, start adding people to your community strategically. Look at the contacts of those you know in person, and add anyone that works in the field or institution you are considering for your next job. Some of these people will accept your add, while others won’t, and that’s fine. Every one connection puts you six degrees closer to the person you need.
3. Increase your in-person communities. Join local community networking events and make it a goal to get one new person added to your direct network at each meeting. Add that person to your virtual network, then use their contacts to see if they know anyone else you can leverage.
4. Reach out to immediate contacts. It doesn’t hurt to send a copy/paste (but personalized) message to your immediate network, asking if they know of any openings in the field you’re interested in. They can then use their next level of connections to put out feelers for you.
5. Use virtual community networking. Networking events are going on all the time, both online and in-person. Sign up to get notified when academic events happen near you, or when online job fairs are coming up. 

Remember, networking isn’t an immediate process. You might get “lucky” and already know someone who knows someone hiring for your dream job. For most of us, though, it’s an act of patience and consistency. Keep working on your reputation and building your online presence on Impactio, and focus on those people in your virtual network as you continue your job search.