Contingencies will run a story on Social Networking to Find Jobs. What do you think?

[DW Simpson]

I just spoke with Annmarie Geddes Lipold, who will be writing an article this weekend on social networking and actuaries.

Annmarie asked me to post this here on her behalf. Any responses you post here may be reprinted in her article.

Originally Posted by Annmarie Geddes Lipold

I am a freelance reporter writing a piece for the American Academy of Actuaries' Contingencies magazine on how social networking is playing a role in helping actuaries find jobs.

How do you think social networking is affecting job placement for actuaries?

[A Markov Chain]

Does she mean social networking sites, like Facebook, or just social networking in general?

Having some friends at another company helped me switch jobs once.

[DW Simpson]

Originally Posted by A Markov Chain

Does she mean social networking sites, like Facebook, or just social networking in general?

Having some friends at another company helped me switch jobs once.

It means websites, it means social networking in general, anything you're interested in commenting on.

[Dr T Non-Fan]

That sounds like too many shoes to match with names.

If social networking (for the purpose of finding jobs) is going on in the Actuarial World, I am unaware of it. And probably more blissful.
That might happen accidentally here, but, again, I'm unaware of it.

Social networking is probably more prevalent in consulting, where they're looking for work for their jobs.

[Noumenon84]

I have a friend who is an actuary who is uncomfortable with being my vessel of opportunity at his company. I am sure he is confident in my ability to perform, but he is concerned/paranoid about his private life mixing with his business life. I think he is leaning more towards the paranoid side, but I understand and can't blame him for being anxious about it.

However, I did have a family friend who was talking about me in a public place where someone over heard the conversation. The person told them to have me fax over my resume the next day. I did and it wound up leading to an interview.

[Stan]

My first and current job was acquired through a form of social networking. I was a member of a social fraternity in college. During my senior year I lived with one of my good friends from this fraternity in an apartment. One weekend he was spending some time with his girlfriend at her house (out of state, but she went to the same school as us) and he wound up talking with one of her neighbors there. It turns out that he was an actuary, who was more or less in charge of hiring at the time. Since my roomate was such a good friend, he told this actuary about some of the exams I had passed (two at the time) and ended up with his business card.

I was able to get other interviews and other job offers on my own, but this one felt like the best fit for me. My resume was not that stellar, barely broke a 3.0 GPA and had no internships, but I was able to walk away with what I still consider a great job and opportunity.

That's my little story.

[DW Simpson]

She'd also love to hear comments on LinkedIn, Facebook or the Outpost, too.

[A Markov Chain]

Probably goes without saying, but the existence and size of referral bonuses can really influence the amount of social networking that leads to finding jobs.

[Salzmann]

I have 300+ contacts on LinkedIn but haven't done much except add Contacts and exchange a few e-mails with people after getting in touch with them for the first time in years.

If I were to look for a job I'd probably go back to my LinkedIn Contacts and figure out which ones would be good networking sources and then do the old-fashioned thing and call them. I like LinkedIn because it's easier to keep track of people as they change jobs.

I've seen people use LinkedIn as a more blatant way to do business and it's a turnoff. Instead of "Jane Smith" their name is "Jane Smith dynamic motivational speaker JaneSpeaks@aol.com". They start discussions on topics and then try to add anyone who responds to their Network. If you Accept, you get status notices every time they add more people, which can be several times a day.

I wouldn't use FaceBook. I do have some actuarial colleagues as Friends on FB and it does help the business relationship when you see little slices of each others' lives once in awhile, but my primary purpose for FaceBook is keeping in touch with friends and family.

[EaglesFan]

Originally Posted by Dr T Non-Fan

That sounds like too many shoes to match with names.

If social networking (for the purpose of finding jobs) is going on in the Actuarial World, I am unaware of it. And probably more blissful.
That might happen accidentally here, but, again, I'm unaware of it.

I agree. I don't have any problems with the article itself, but a quick scan of AO would reveal that there are so many other potential hot-button actuarial employment story ideas that one could delve into right now.