The world of job recruiting has changed drastically in recent years. Whereas in the past, the route to securing employment was simply getting your resume together and responding to help-wanted ads – or even getting approached by a headhunter – now much of the recruitment process is taken care of on the Internet.

Both recruiters and job seekers are finding that by mingling with one another through mediums like online social networks, they can accomplish their combined goal of getting a person employed. It is for this reason that taking the time to understand social networks is beneficial, especially if you're actively seeking employment. So let's take a closer look at this new and exciting aspect of job recruiting.

Very similar to the idea of the traditional social network, an online social network offers a space on the Internet where individuals with similar interests or agendas can congregate to share ideas, insights, and help one another achieve goals. Before, you may have found yourself joining a national collegiate fraternity or sorority, or even a club or organization in your community, to achieve this type of networking experience. But now, organizations and groups with a similar purpose have moved onto the Internet, affording more people from around the country the opportunity to network.

So what can an online social network do for you? Along with fraternizing with your peers, they are great for helping you find employment. Job seekers are becoming increasingly aware that many recruiters spend time searching popular social networking websites like LinkedIn, Myspace, Plaxo and Facebook to interact with and often times recruit new job candidates. So to make themselves findable for recruitment, they congregate in those places.

If you are serious about finding employment, it is in your best interest to join one or more of these online social networking sites. There you can post your resume and give other useful information about yourself that will offer insight into your qualifications. Once you've posted your resume, you can visit field-specific blogs on these sites or in other places. Just like with social networking sites, recruiters often choose this avenue to seek out candidates and make employment invitations.

While online social networks are great places to find career opportunities, you should definitely be aware of your actions while there. Fun-filled sites like Myspace and Facebook can easily lure you into their excitement; however, if your purpose is to be seen by recruiters, you might find yourself projecting a non-professional image. To avoid this from happening, remember not to post unflattering pictures of activities you partake in with your buddies on your profile. And ask your friends to refrain from leaving risqué comments on your page. Since your main goal is to make your profile as professional as possible, you don't want to give recruiters any reason to second-guess your qualifications.

The opportunities to secure employment with the click of a mouse are better than ever. So before you print off you next resume or think about going to a job fair, consider joining a professional online social network. You may just find that your next employment connection will be right on the other side of your computer screen.