Contrary to popular belief, social media sites aren’t just for catching up with old college friends, wasting time at work or researching that hottie you just met last night. Now they’re primary tools for those looking to advance their careers and growing professional networks. Follow these five tips for networking your way to your dream job.
1. Make your online profiles work for your professional self
Not all social media sites are created equal; some avenues are more formal than others but that doesn’t mean they can’t all work in your favor. LinkedIn, the most formal social networking site, is like your resume — a one-stop-shop for all your career aspirations and accomplishments. However, the danger lies with more professionally ambiguous venues like Twitter and Facebook.
Professional career counselor Melissa Llarena recommends using Facebook as a showcase of your casual self. Just remember to keep your party monster hidden. “Treat Facebook as an expression of your extracurricular interests,” Llarena advises. “So feel free to show that you have a personality, however hide those pictures of you potentially making a fool of yourself in Cancun.” On Twitter she advises users to follow and engage with heavy hitters in their field via “retweets” (forwarding a message) and “replies” (responding to someone). “You never know if you’ll actually get a real conversation going with (them),” Llarena says.
2. Know your personal/professional boundaries
Privacy settings are social media’s professional lifesaver. In career advice site Vault.com’s 2010 social media survey, 86% of employers thought candidates should take at least one action to make their profiles more employer-friendly. Your online persona shouldn’t be devoid of life but you should be aware of anything that can raise a red flag to potential employers. The most common mistakes made on social media sites Llarena shares are voicing controversial opinions to all your networks, revealing profile pictures and keeping up questionable photos. A word to the wise: If you have to ask if it’s ok, you should take it down.
She also warns job seekers to be mindful of the company they keep online. Don’t share your network and do not accept friend requests from just anyone. “Your friends can see your other friends’ profiles,” she says. “And as the saying goes, ‘dime con quien anda y te dire quien eres.
Know what everyone else can see by conducting an online search of your own name. Know thy online self and ensure you have a clean online name and rep by Googling yourself regularly to make sure you aren’t ashamed of the results.
3. Get a little help from your “Friends”
You already have a network of “friends” at your fingertips — be they real-life friends, family or acquaintances, ex-coworkers and bosses, or some cool dude you bonded with over Jason Statham action flicks at a party once. If you’re looking to expand your professional network, ask for an introduction to someone who’s had success in your dream job.
Be tactful when reaching out to potential professional contacts. That means that when messaging; skip the internet shorthand or textspeak. “When are you interacting or emailing with anyone related to your career think, ‘business casual,’” Llarena says. “Write succinctly, lose the abbreviations and recall your fourth grade grammar. These days jobs are found, offered and declined offline as well as online so err on the conservative side [when communicating] online.”
Be polite, honest and learn a thing or two about their interests via their profiles and online research. You may discover some common goals and your interest in them can pay off big time for you.
4. Boost your field knowledge
Bump up your professional IQ by using social media to get in the know regarding industry happenings. Aside from giving you access to the profiles of industry colleagues, LinkedIn offers a bevy of industry-specific groups where you can not only meet new people but get information and advice via articles and open forums. Online “how-to” site Lifehacker recommends using Twitter’s advanced search options and hashtags to find job and industry related tweets. The more you know, the better a conversation with an industry insider can go, the bigger chances of nailing a new contact.
5. Go Offline
Once you’ve introduced yourself online, take the connection to the next level: ask if they’d like to have a meeting or a phone call. Llarena remarks that relying solely on social media to network is another common mistake. Dan Klamm and Alana Edmunds for Mashable.com say body language, eye contact and tone of voice are imperative to establish a properly solid professional relationship. Video call service, Skype is also a good option when meeting in person is not. You can still see and hear each other from your respective ends of the world.
For more information on how social media can help you professionally connect to Melissa Llarena at melissallarena.com.