It has become accepted wisdom that an active online presence is critical to career advancement. The Internet, and social media in particular, has provided the opportunity for individuals to stand out in a crowded marketplace, with their own personal profiles or “branding”.

Although Baby Boomers don’t quite share the same enthusiasm for social media as their younger counterparts, the differences in use of this technology across the generations is not as stark as we might assume —most Baby Boomers are in fact already active users of social media. The clear advantages of social media seem to transcend generation gaps and tap into a common human trait: the desire to connect.

As explored in a recent ebook, Four Insights About Social Media & Work, this desire for connection is clearly already relevant to our working lives —when around four in every ten jobs are secured through an existing contact (word of mouth or a direct approach from an employer), it’s clear that our networks are already ‘at work’ for us. In many respects, social media and job-seeking seems like a natural fit that’s only just beginning to be exploited.