Like Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz, you may be afraid of all the unknowns in the scary world today. As a professional you owe it to your career to learn about these tools for self promotion and branding, as well as information gathering/intelligence.
LinkedIn is a professional networking tool that makes it super easy to network. If you watch this brief movie, it will make sense… LinkedIn Movie.
The basic rules to remember when using LinkedIn are:
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The more complete your profile, the better.
Make sure you list all of your relevant experience, including volunteer and community activities.
- Use your best personal judgement on who to invite and who to accept invites from
Maybe you shouldn't accept that invitation from the creepy ex-coworker or stranger you met at a networking meeting…
- Keep it professional and always say please and thank you.
Follow all the traditional etiquette rules. Customize invitations to connect.
Twitter is another way to keep track of people, as well as be tracked. Another great movie to watch Twitter movie Demonstrate that you are a person to watch in your field by sharing what you are reading or what events you are involved in. It's a mini-blog or up to the minute professional diary.
Facebook is a personal networking tool so you can see what your friends and family are up to. It is just another way for you to develop your network.
Have fun experimenting with all three. Life is all about relationships and staying connected.
Hannah Morgan speaks and writes about job search and career strategies. She founded CareerSherpa.net to educate professionals on how to maneuver through today’s job search process. Hannah was nominated as a LinkedIn Top Voice in Job Search and Careers and is a regular contributor to US News & World Report. She has been quoted by media outlets, including Forbes, USA Today, Money Magazine, Huffington Post, as well as many other publications. She is also author of The Infographic Resume and co-author of Social Networking for Business Success.
