4 Ways to Job Hunt Online

Social networks have transformed how you can look for a job. But just as networks such as LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and now Google+ continue to evolve, so are the ways you can use them to find work.

Here are a few recent job search innovations you'll want to check out:

1. LinkedIn 'Apply Now' Button
Recruiters' mantra has become: "Get on LinkedIn." That's because the business network, which boasts more than 100 million members, is one of the first places companies go when they have a job to fill. The new "Apply Now" button in the LinkedIn Jobs section makes it easier for job seekers to connect with companies that have open positions. From any job listing, click on the button that appears in the top right corner, and it will send your LinkedIn profile and contact information to that business, along with a cover letter and other resume if you choose to add them. You can keep track of applications submitted under a "Saved Jobs" tab. LinkedIn also added a similar one-click application feature that companies can add to their own websites to let job seekers apply by instantly sharing a link to their LinkedIn profile. More than 1,000 companies have already signed up for the service, according to a LinkedIn blog post.

2. SimplyHired 'Who Do I Know?' Tool
If you use online job boards to look for work, you probably visit Monster or Indeed, determine which companies have open positions and then flip to LinkedIn or another social network to research the businesses or find connections at any of them who could get you an interview. A tool from SimplyHired, the job-board search engine, eliminates a step in that process. When you use SimplyHired to do a job search, the tool -- called Who Do I Know? -- instantly pairs the results with your Facebook and LinkedIn connections who work at a hiring company, previously worked there or are connected to someone who works there. To set up the tool, you must give SimplyHired permission to obtain data from your Facebook and LinkedIn accounts. "It substantially helps job seekers," by eliminating the resume black hole that can happen by networking through the wrong person, says Daniel Greenberg, SimplyHired's chief marketing officer. Find out more by watching this video tutorial.

3. Twitter Chats
You can find the latest on employment trends and companies that are hiring or network with recruiters and fellow job seekers by participating in job chats on Twitter. Twitter chats are conversations on specific subjects that take place on the social network in real time. Participants use a hashtag associated with a particular chat to follow what other people are saying or ask questions. Popular job chats include #jobhuntchat (Mondays at 10 p.m. Eastern) and #careerchat (Tuesdays at 1 p.m. Eastern). Multiple conversations could be going on during a single Twitter chat, so focus on the one that's most beneficial to you, experts suggest in this U.S. News & World Report job chats report. Sponsors such as #HireFriday, which runs #hrchat (Fridays at noon Eastern), post chat transcripts in case you miss Twitter chats in real time.

4. Virtual Job Fairs
Maybe you've gone to a career fair sponsored by a local company or your city or state's employment department. If so, you're familiar with the setup, typically a large hall filled with company recruiters who staff tables laden with career literature and answer attendees' questions about job openings. Such events might also include keynote speakers and experts who can help you polish your resume or interviewing skills. Now picture all that happening online. That's the concept behind virtual job fairs. For example, the American Jobs Conference, a day-long career fair, took place July 19 on Twitter and included a session on job searches for midlevel workers or people changing careers. The following day, Tribune Co. newspapers in eight cities hosted a joint career fair where job seekers could upload resumes and do interviews via live chat or webcam. Other online job fairs are affiliated with job boards, such as the virtual event on the Bio Careers board that starts Aug. 1. You can find other virtual events on About.com's online job fair list or by doing a Google or Bing search.

Read more: If you're still getting acquainted with online social networks, here are some other SecondAct posts I've written to help get you started:

• Google+: Testing the Waters
• 10 New Need-to-Know Features on LinkedIn
• 10 Steps to Start on Twitter