Traditionally, to search for jobs, candidates had to rely on local newspapers, and temp agencies. While these methods may still be in use, they no longer provide the same access to opportunities that current job seekers need.

The Internet revolutionized the job search process, and in 2022, about 80% of job searches were conducted online, with job boards playing a crucial role in connecting candidates with companies. In the same year, Indeed alone recorded more than 250 million unique visitors every month.

These platforms are extremely efficient for finding jobs in the early stages of your career. However, job boards have their own limitations in terms of being too impersonal, overcrowded, offering poor CV quality to recruiters, and being inefficient for the evolving roles of today. One needs to go beyond job boards to efficiently find suitable jobs.

But, how so? The answer lies in networking. Over 85% of jobs in today’s age are fulfilled through networking. Here are 4 efficient ways to build your professional network and find jobs:

Talent communities are networks of individuals with similar professional interests. It provides a nurturing environment for members to showcase their skills and engage in knowledge transfer from industry experts through webinars, workshops, and courses that help enhance their professional talent.

The community environment provides a unique networking experience for both employers and potential employees as it is easy for them to connect and build relationships – something which can’t always be done through job boards alone. Moreover, companies prefer posting job openings in such communities, which makes it an apt place to get your hands on better job opportunities.

“Staying involved with the talent community allows candidates to find better job opportunities and helps employers gain invaluable insights into candidates’ capabilities. The high engagement levels in such communities makes it easier for both sides to determine job-fitness and results in a smoother interviewing and onboarding process.”

Industry forums, such as NASSCOM (IT) and SIAM (Automobiles) have dedicated communities to promote professional networking. You can also consider leveraging peer networks like Career Circles by Taggd, that has dedicated communities for jobs in pharmaceuticals, jobs in IT, and jobs in automobile to received personalized job recommendations and opportunities.

Job references are a trusted source used by companies for actively hiring talent. In essence, it is word-of-mouth marketing. You want to get in a company where you know someone who can vouch for your job skills? Request them to recommend you. The company will gladly consider your profile.

Studies have revealed that most companies hire about 40% of employees through referrals and that referred candidates are 4x more likely to be hired than other candidates. Industries like Automotive, BFSI, IT, and Manufacturing highly depend on references to hire candidates.

In 2022, about 73% of millennials found their current roles via social media platforms. 66% of recruiters actively post job openings on social media, and LinkedIn is the most preferred recruitment channel followed by Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

To successfully find jobs through social media, it is imperative for job seekers to maintain an active social media presence, and keep their profiles updated with their expertise, work experience, and skills. Some tips to boost profile discoverability include setting up a formal display picture, writing a concise work summary in the job profile section, and engaging with industry-relevant posts.

Another popular source to become a part of professional communities is Whatsapp. Yes, the chat messenger on your phone. The smartphone app is actively used by recruiters to form groups and forward job openings. It is widely popular for seeking support roles in fields like IT, HR, Finance, and Admin roles.

As India moves towards its vision of becoming a modern, skilled-based economy, the government is developing a new platform that will allow job seekers to easily showcase their skills to recruiters. This groundbreaking system promises to evaluate and measure applicant skill sets like never before. One can think of this platform as the ‘UPI of Skills’, and potential job seekers should keep watch-out for such developments in the near future.

The bottom line is if someone you are looking for a new job or considering career changes,

it is essential to go beyond job boards and experience the full potential of the digital jobs market. It might seem overwhelming to be active on so many channels to land your dream job, but remember-hard perseverance and patience always pay off!

Pankaj Bansal is the founder of PeopleStrong and Work Universe (a Fund investing in jobs and work tech). He is a non-executive director at Karmayogi Bharat (Capacity building or Civil Servants) and many other startups. Follow him on Twitter at @pankajbansalPB.