Facebook, Twitter and blogs may be students’ ticket to a job, panelists said at a career preparation workshop Wednesday.

The workshop, Life Beyond the Hedges, advised students how to build their professional personas and make the best possible impression when entering the job market.

Students are at a great advantage because most already have a skill set of great interest to companies today, said Erin Beasley, change implementation associate for Towers Perrin.

“A lot of companies are going into social media,” she said. “And college students are great at social media. [They] are great at Facebook, [they] are great at Twitter. And I know you think it’s just about keeping up with our friends, but companies have their own pages now.”

Establishing an online presence and understanding technology use is important, said Kristin English, a doctoral student in the Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication.

English said students entering the workforce should understand basic HTML and have the ability to network and follow trends in the business world. Students should consider starting a blog, even if it isn’t a “serious” one, to help establish themselves, English said. Blogs can also be used as a resume, she said.

“Some of the best blogs aren’t serious, are things like reviews of restaurants,” English said. “Develop your brand and use your brand. Understand your skill set and promote that.”

Karen Holmes, who owns a freelance writing and consulting business, said first impressions are one of the most important factors to managers when hiring, and phone calls are sometimes more effective than e-mails when following up on interviews.

Tripp Cagle, communications supervisor for Southern Company and University alumnus, said the challenge for new graduates may not be finding a job, but remaining persistent enough to find the job best suited to them.

“It took me 19 months to land my first real job. And the toughest thing in an environment like this is to stick with it,” Cagle said. “Companies need people and they’ll always need people, so the challenge is just to knock down that first door.”

Panelists said the most important thing to remember while navigating the job market is that companies are looking for people with experience and diverse skill sets more than ever before.