Quintessential Careers honors one career or job site each issue of QuintZine with the Quintessential Careers Site Award in recognition of quintessential efforts in helping job-seekers.

October 27, 2003: ItsNotWhatYouKnow

ItsNotWhatYouKnow (INWYK)

ItsNotWhatYouKnow is a networking site that offers users the ability to create, build, and manage personal networks of social, business, and career contacts and provides numerous tools for networking. Basic membership is free, and upgrades are available for a nominal charge.

On the subject of career networking, the INWYK says its objective is "to help you move into the hidden, un-advertised job market, using every available resource that contact with other people will provide you. INWYK is based on the same fundamentals as social networking; reaching out to an acquaintance or a friend of a friend for help. Contacting people through INWYK can become an integral part of job searching, as it allows you to connect to the appropriate people in an effort to gain experience and find career direction."

One advantage of INWYK is that it enables job-seekers to manage contacts through an easy interface. The site provides avenues that enable the job-seeker to:

• Establish key relationships to build a solid career path with solid experience.
• Use networking to promote education through internships, job opportunities and certifications.
• Get help and advice from alumni or contacts in similar industries.
• Develop the skills needed to reach career goals by interacting with mentors.

The site also offers a free newsletter.

See all our featured Quintessential Sites.