How are you growing your social network?

What have you been doing to grow your social network? Maybe you're wondering, "why should I bother with social networking?"

Let me offer a few reasons why social networking is so important for healthcare professionals who are interested in non-clinical opportunities:

• You may find your next job through someone in your social network. If you grow your network on sites like LinkedIn and Plaxo, then you may end up meeting some people who are in a position to hire you.
• You may need quick and reliable references. If you ever need some professional references, you can have some that are ready to go if you leverage social networking tools.
  
• You may find some consulting opportunities through someone in your social network. Even if you're not looking for a new full-time position, perhaps you're open to some part-time consulting. I know many people who have found some unique opportunities through Facebook, LinkedIn, and even Twitter.
  
• Your old friends and colleagues may be in powerful positions. They may not hire you, but they could be a hiring manager and they may want to meet some of your colleagues, friends, and acquaintances.
• You may need an audience someday. Perhaps you'll write a book and you'll want some help with promotion. Perhaps you'll start a blog and you'll want to recruit some readers. You may need an audience who will be interested in something you have to offer.
  
• You never know when you may lose you job. I realize that people don't like to think about this possibility, but it's a reality for many in the corporate world. You may get the pink slip someday. You may get disabled. You may run into personal issues. Things in life may force you to make a transition and you want to be prepared by having a strong social network.

Interested in building a social network among healthcare professionals who have an interest in non-clinical ventures? Then join this free social network titled, "Non-Clinical Healthcare Professionals."

Eventually, you may wish to explore the complete world of Web 2.0 and play around with blogs, RSS feeds, forums, and other social networking tools. If you're on Twitter, I invite you to follow me (@DrJosephKim) and I will follow you back.

Facebook Connections and Health IT

I just found out that one of my high school friends (from many years ago, before the days of computers, PDAs, and smartphones) has been working for a health information technology (health IT) company. I had no idea! I had lost contact after graduating from high school, but then we got reconnected a few years ago on Facebook. There are countless other examples where social networking websites have allowed people to make both professional and personal connections. If you're not leveraging social networking websites, then you are probably not maximizing your potential to find new opportunities in the non-clinical space.

So, in case you're wondering about the company: it's called Medicity. If you'd like more information about this company, contact me and I may be able to get you connected with my high school classmate.

Build Your Social Network

I recently had the opportunity to get reconnected with some old colleagues. Then, I received this email from a physician resident who decided that residency wasn't the right fit and is now actively looking for a job. My advice was this - build your network and get reconnected with old classmates, colleagues, and friends. Your best probability of finding a job might be through those connections. Also, I suggested that this person make the best use of professional social networking websites like LinkedIn, Plaxo, etc. Finally, I mentioned that executive recruiters can be very helpful in helping you find a job when you're making a career transition into the non-clinical field. They have connections and they may also know of opportunities that aren't posted anywhere.

Comcast to Buy Plaxo

Looks like Comcast is getting ready to purchase Plaxo. This really goes to underscore the importance of social networking in today's Web 2.0 culture. LinkedIn, Plaxo, Naymz, and even Facebook are becoming so popular. It's a great way to get reconnected with old friends and colleagues. Plus, it's an easy and convenient way to network professionally.

So, who's going to buy LinkedIn?

The Importance of Social Networking

The Internet now allows us to reconnect with so many old friends, colleagues, and classmates. Social networking has become a buzzword and several online sites have popped up over the last several years. More recently, social networking sites have gotten sophisticated and have built capabilities to help you build your network and connect with even more people.

The three that I mainly use are:

Linked In

Plaxo

Facebook

I've had a chance to reconnect with many old classmates, colleagues, and friends. It's been very interesting to see what people are up to these days. They're all scattered over the world in so many different industries. These online social networking sites make it so easy to keep everyone updated with your latest information. It's great to see photos, baby pictures, and more. Get connected and build your network!