6 ways to use social media to propel your career

20Jun 2016
The Guardian Reporter
The Guardian
6 ways to use social media to propel your career

Social media, the likes of face book, instagram, whatsapp, twitter and the rest has made each one of us slaves to the internet, viewing a notification, sharing a picture, video,

For people who rely heavily on social media to promote their careers, being perceived positively is a major key.

our thoughts and all kind of memories we wanna have. Social media has been our second home and clearly, if none of you knew this, social media could be your number one evidence if you were to be caught in a mess.

Oh well, let’s face it, we all have our memories, be it bad or good, some shameful, some irrelevant and this could make an employer get your job CV out of all that you share on social media. Maybe it’s unheard of, but that interviewing panel can get a detective to run through your social media accounts and they may not be so pleased.

A CV ,application letter ,transcript, certificates and any other relevant documents could get you a dream job and make you shine among the rest but hey!, that face book status could drag you to the gutter and you would remain wondering as to what happened.

This is so right guys; take those drinking and partying pictures down from that Face book and instagram account or that snap chat video of you drinking yourself silly.

You may not think your social media profiles can be used any other way but you’re sadly mistaken. What if they told you that your Twitter timeline can act as a reputable reference for your next job? Well that’s it, hell hath no fury! However, here’s how you can use social media to forge your career.

Include opinions clearly

Typing up an angry religious face book post or re-tweeting controversial political article may be your favorite pass time while on social media, but it may not serve as the best move for your career. Not everyone will discriminate, but people might get the impression that you could be high maintenance or cause trouble. Keep in mind that even if you’re very easygoing in person, employers won’t know this just from your social media moments.

Tailor your online persona

For people who rely heavily on social media to promote their careers, being perceived positively is a major key. “My Twitter persona is also very different from face book,” an aspiring comedy writer once said. Creating a unique and professional profile makes it easier for potential employers to find you and for you to keep in contact with the people who can influence your career the most.

Honestly, though, when it comes to professional persons, could we be any more thankful for linked in one of the best social media apps where you can be professional and meet professionals.

Give as much as you get

If you are looking for a job, it can be tempting to narrow your focus to just that goal. But who would’ve thought that helping other people could land you that position that you’re vying for? Social networking is a give and take process. When people get useful information without an apparent motive, they’re apt to appreciate it. By offering help now, you’re proving to others in your professional network that you’re already a diamond and that’s a reliable asset.
Don’t use all social media the same way

With so many different social networking sites to log onto, most people choose to either be a faithful user of one or use many sites in similar ways, copying and pasting content from one profile to the next. However, taking a little extra time to figure out how each social media account should be used might enhance your experience as a user or future employee.

Most employers don’t like using face book as a promoting tool instead use twitter which is more direct and which makes it easier to network because you don’t have to wait for a friend request. It’s good to figure out which social networks you can use most productively and divide your time and energy efficiently among them.
Create your own section of the web

Social media sites may introduce you to that important employer connect and allow you to easily share information, but creating a personal website or blog can serve as a sort of home base for your online presence.

These platforms give potential employers a place to see all your social media accounts as well as projects that you’ve worked. Platforms such as word press and allow you to create easily customisable websites and blogs.
Make your personal presence professional

When it comes to appearing professional online, you can never be too careful. We’ve all heard the horror stories of people getting turned down for jobs because of an embarrassing face book photo, but believe it or not, professionalism goes much further than that.

Employers look closely at a candidate’s social media presence. Don’t give them a reason to dislike you, be mysterious and keep what’s persona.

If you’re serious about your job search, it’s time to unlike all those embarrassing Face book pages from high school and upgrade your LinkedIn profile from your favourite club self to one that’s employer-approved.

Well, social media is fun but remember it also tells a lot about who you are to the people that visit your accounts each day.

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