As a Gen Y job-seeker blog, we’ve written about using social networks in a professional sense many times. With all this information out there, it can be a challenge to find what you’re looking for. As a class project, my team created a comprehensive website with the what, the why, and the how of professional social networking — plus some really great statistics.
The website, which you can view here, has information on the current state of social recruiting as well as statistics about recruiting on LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook. Also, we have a great “Resources” page where you can see what sources we used for information, in case you want to read further. Plus, we’ve even included some of the best tips for professional social networking — some are even from Come Recommended’s founder, Heather Huhman.
Here are the top three tips from our research:
- Keep it professional: With so many possible employers checking you out online, make sure you only have things that are work-appropriate. Avoid inappropriate statuses, photos, tweets, etc.
- Contribute: Don’t just make a social networking profile to have one — make sure you use it, and use it correctly. Share and retweet relevant information and participate in LinkedIn groups or professional TweetChats (#jobhuntchat is a great one). Networking online is like networking in person — make sure you’re establishing a connection and helping out other people so they’re more willing to help you.
- Brand yourself: Use professional social networking to not only make connections, but create your own personal brand. Finding a job is essentially marketing yourself, so make your brand a strong and desirable one. Establish yourself as a thought leader and innovative figure in your field.
And here are tips from Heather:
- “Share your experience, education and accomplishments in your profile to help employers learn the most they possibly can about you.”
- “Make it easy for others to find you on whichever platform they use by using your first and last name in your unique URL or as your handle. ”
- “Help others get to know you by putting a photo in your profile. A close-up, professional headshot should do the trick.”
- “Meet new contacts from across the world by engaging in conversation on social media and participating in chats, groups and more.”
- “Dedicate a portion of your day to your maintaining your online presence, following new people, thanking others for sharing your content, etc.”
Again, the website is: www.professionalsocialnetworking.weebly.com.
Feel free to check it out and find great information on using LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook for professional social networking!
Here are some other great resources from past Come Recommended blogs about professional social networking:
- 3 Networking Don’ts For Online & Social Presence
- Social Media Background Checks? Beware!
- 5 Ways To Use Social Media In A Job Search
- Why Recruiters Are Using Twitter
What do you think of this site? What other tips do you have for professional social networking?
