Today, social media has become widely accepted and used by many. Statistics show that it’s now the most common thing Internet users do online, to the point of dethroning porn as the #1 activity!
Due to its popularity and the ease of networking, many of us have a social media account to connect with friends, share our thoughts and feelings, and document happenings in our lives. But aside from posting what music you’re listening to or movie you’re watching, you can also use social media to boost your career!
Setting Up a Professional Social Media Profile
Looking for a job? You might have to clean up your Facebook profile! Up to 76% of employers now go over the candidates’ Facebook profiles at some point in the recruitment process. If you don’t have your profile set to private, your future employer might read your flaming rants or see embarrassing drunk photos. Yikes!
If you prefer to keep a separate Facebook profile for job hunting purposes, TotalJobs has partnered with BranchOut so that you can create an entirely professional Facebook profile that’s linked to your main account.
Cleaning Up Content
Once you’ve created your account, try to keep your content professional. About 80% of your posts should be composed of third-party content, news related to the industry you’re in, or opinions and discussions. If you’re an artist or photographer, showcase your work and put up your portfolio online.
This way, you can build a reputation that you’re an expert in the industry and you know what you’re talking about.
Network with Key People or ‘Influencers’
It’s not called social networking for nothing! Connect with colleagues, potential employers, and influencers or experts in your field. Participate in groups or forums and engage in discussion. Get your name out there! This makes it easier for employers to find you, or for other people to refer you to recently opened job openings. Make friends, be sociable, but remain professional.
One way to boost your reputation is through the use of LinkedIn. Although it is not the most active form of social media, it would certainly help if you have a LinkedIn profile where you can connect with other professionals in your field. Also, you can get Recommendations from people you’ve worked with and this gets posted on your Facebook profile. It’s a great way for future employers to see your reference and read positive feedback about you and your work.
Don’t forget to return the favor! Give Recommendations, refer a friend, and be the bridge to connect a friend to another. They will be happy to help you out in the future.
You can also make use of the hashtags in Twitter to filter out tweets related to your industry. This makes connecting with other people in your field much easier.
Truly, social media has a lot of possibilities for your professional life. With these tips on how to use social media to boost your career, we hope you land your dream job soon!
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