The Elusive "Networking" Website

I'm sure that everyone has heard that networking is the way to go when you want to find new opportunities, but what about job networking websites?

There are tons of them out there, so what ones do you choose, which ones do you join? Which ones do you need to be invited to and which ones are open to everyone?

Doostang.com (Invite Only)
This is a well known and growing job search networking website. As their website states:

Founded in 2005 by two friends — a Stanford MBA and an MIT engineer — Doostang was created with one goal in mind: to successfully advance ambitious young professionals in their careers.

Doostang brings together the best minds under one roof and provides them with the tools to find exclusive jobs, be found by leading employers, and network with one another.

Our rapidly-growing community of over half a million of the best and brightest continues to attract thousands of exclusive career opportunities from employers looking to hire top talent.

If you are interested in an invite from me, please email me.

NotchUp.com (Application or Invite Only)
Notch Up is relatively new to the market. It's currently marked as still being in beta, but it's an interesting concept that can grow to be a sensation. The concept behind the site is for recruiters to find candidates. (Sounds like every other search website, but supposedly it's not). It also pays for interviews and users can rate interviewers. Users are protected by being assigned an number and remaining anonymous except for their credentials.

LinkedIn.com (Open)
To be extremely frank, I just signed up for Linked In about 5 minutes ago. It seems most professionals use this website to network and keep in touch with colleagues. It appears to be a glorified resume that you can link to other people.

Monster.com (Open) & CareerBuilder.com (Open)
Be wary when it comes to Monster.com and/or CareerBuilder.com. Although it is possible to find legitimate interviews and companies, many of those who contact you will quickly become spam. I speak from experience of myself, relatives and other people I know who have signed up for these sites.

Jobster.com (Open)
Jobster is another one of those networking sites where I haven't decided if it's good or bad yet. They send out emails with jobs in your area based on your experience. Although most of the jobs I have seen aren't ones that I would enjoy, I still think this site is worth a look.