You are on the right path by starting with linked in but you can use these tools to network as well. Too often people who have been out of work a while get nervous and start putting profiles everywhere
hoping to be found. Have your friend target a type of position at specific company. Go to linked in or other social media places and find others who do that type of job or at least work at that company.
Next contact them and ask for 15 minutes of their time. Tell them your situation and ask if you could do a short informational interview. If they say yes, ask them how they got their current position and what they do. How they like the company etc. Take no more than 10 or 15 minutes be respectful and at the end, ask if it would be ok to get the name of the hiring manager so you could send an inquiry letter for any future openings.
This type of networking puts you in touch with people who are doing the job you want to do. Getting found today in a down job market is too passive, you need to network with the people who are working where you want to work.
Finally a general comment about social networks, be careful what you put out there and who can see it. Comanies are looking at these social network sites to better undersand the people they hire so be ware...
Good luck and hope that helps.
Tom
Source: http://www.staffing-and-rec...