In the ever-growing realm of online networking, traditional success indicators—such as level of education, occupation, and age—are taking a backseat to smart social skills. These days, getting (and keeping) the perfect job is all about forming relationships. Start expanding your professional circle with these social networking basics.

Brand Yourself

The first thing to know about social networking: You are the product. Decide which trusted social media outlets—LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, Orkut, Bebo, Friendster, etc.—you will use to "sell" your professional image to potential employers. While being mindful of both quality and content, you can use tweets, blog posts, online profiles, and status updates to spread your message.

Maintain Genuine Relationships

Many companies won't take so much as a second glance at a "blind" CV or résumé; they want candidates who have established a name within the digital community. Before submitting your credentials, begin researching each prospective company online. Reach out to its personnel, initiating friendships that are based on the organizational traits that you genuinely admire, as opposed to following a proscribed professional agenda. Later, it's important to continue to nurture your professional relationships. Building a solid network starts with treating your business contacts as friends and equals.

Stay Ahead of the Digital Curve

Trendsetting is the best way to get noticed in any online community. To maximize your experience (and exposure) online, be sure to stay up to speed with the changing technology. Subscribing to social media and other tech-savvy blogs, signing up for e-newsletters distributed by your favorite social networks, and regularly perusing industry news journals and press releases are just a few ways to stay at the top of your game.

Note: Beware the Downside of Social Networking

For all its perks, social media is not all LOLs and smiling emoticons—as with most technology, it comes with some drawbacks. Sharing too much information online is always a bad idea, but when it comes to your career, it can have devastating consequences. Don't use social media to:

• Boast about a new job or a raise – Such talk can breed negative competition between friends and coworkers, and even prompt your employer to wonder where your priorities lie.
• Insult your colleagues or superiors – Even if it's lighthearted in its intent, this kind of talk can easily be seen as cruel and inappropriate. Use social media as a way to connect and inform your contemporaries, not berate them.
• Complain about your job – Approach your employer if there are issues that need to be addressed, but don't use the Internet to broadcast your dissatisfaction or to announce that you're in the market for a new job.
• Document your social life – The last thing you want is for your boss to learn via the Web how last week's "family emergency" was really an excuse for you to go to the beach. Remember that most social networking is time-stamped, and share information at your own risk.