So you’re signed up to Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn. You spend hour upon hour procrastinating on them… Endlessly swiping through pages of posts from people you haven’t seen in years, or, indeed, have never met. While we are all aware of the “social” aspects of social media, there are many ways in which you can use those social media accounts to further your career.
Step 1: Research yourself
Go to Google, or whatever search engine you prefer, and type in your full name. If you’re a “John Smith”, you’re probably not going to find anything personal, but if, like me, your name is a little more obscure you might be surprised to find your personal Facebook page at the top. That mean’s employers looking to find some dirt about you can see it there too.
Step 2: Decide what you want employers to see
If you like having those drunken photos as your cover photo or profile picture, now is probably time to not only change your privacy settings, but perhaps to follow the new trend of changing your name on Facebook. You could make it so that your middle name takes the place of your last name “John Anthony” instead of “John Smith”, for example. This means that when employers search your name, your Facebook profile doesn’t pop up! Same with Twitter, if you regularly post explicit messages moaning about housemates/friends/the world in general, now is probably the time to set your account to private too.
Step 3: Update your LinkedIn profile, join groups and add connections
Sign up to LinkedIn and update your profile with absolutely everything you’ve done. From volunteering to certificates, from dance qualifications to sports awards, make sure everything is up to date. Add your skills and encourage your connections to endorse you for them by endorsing their skills. Don’t stick to the people you know, use the opportunity to connect with people in your sector, and to join groups which may link you to people even higher up the food chain.
Step 4: Utilise Twitter in the same way you would LinkedIn
Twitter can be a great way to connect with people who are working in your chosen sector. With only 140 characters, the person you are contacting is more likely to read your message and get in touch with you. Tweet and retweet things that are relevant to your chosen career path, and steer away from too many pictures of your food/coffee, and you might just connect with someone who could be very useful!
Overall? Be savvy, be smart and be proactive. Keep the things that should be hidden exactly that, and don’t be afraid to make connections and to talk to people!
Do you have any more tips on using social media for careers? Let us know in the comments below!
Photo: thomas lapperre / Flickr
I’m a serial multi-tasker who loves having no spare time. Also an English Literature student.
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