It’s no surprise to anyone that social media has become one of the most powerful networking tools. Especially when it comes to looking for jobs. Many companies have Twitter accounts and Facebook pages dedicated specifically for posting job positions. These career positions are updated constantly and can give you the leg up on a candidate that is only checking the company’s main webpage.
One of the most professional platforms right now on social media is LinkedIn. This site, with over 175 million members, promotes groups, jobs, and professional connections. It states that it also is host to members from over 200 countries. This alone should be enough to get you to sign up. One of my favorite features of the site is the job tab, which provides a general job search link, but also one for students and recent graduates. This is particularly helpful because the positions are already sorted for entry-level candidates. Still, these are only a few of the innovative features that LinkedIn promotes.
Yet as many students may have these accounts, there is a wide margin of people who don’t know how to use these profiles to their advantage. According to the CCO Inside Track that was sent out this week, here are the top four tips to get in the in crowd on LinkedIn:
- Connect with people you know outside your major/industry. Even if they are simply a social contact, connecting with someone on LinkedIn adds everyone they are connected with to your network. You have no idea who your friend may know unless you ask, but who has time to map out a list of every person your acquaintances may know in your industry? LinkedIn does this for you, so take advantage of it. Personalize your invitations to connect to let people know what your intentions for connecting are.
- Join groups targeted toward your industry of choice and participate in discussions. Joining groups expands your network exponentially. However, joining a group is not enough, you should participate in group discussions and be active in a group to benefit from the wealth of knowledge they can contain. You can ask professionals and other students in your field about industry news and your career path. Discussions in professional groups can be incredibly beneficial. You never know who you’ll meet.
- Did a professional help you out in a discussion? Did you like something they posted? Use that as a segue to connect! If someone says something that benefits you, don’t be shy. Ask to connect and, if you feel comfortable, ask for a time they could talk to you on the phone (like an informational interview) about whatever the discussion was about. You could gain a new mentor out of the situation.
- Use the LinkedIn Today news feature to stay up-to-date with industry news. You can personalize what news LinkedIn suggests to you by industry. You can click through each industry and see the top headlines every day. It’s a great way to stay “in the know” with your industry even if you aren’t working in it yet.
Source: http://purduecco.wordpress.com/2012/10/10/4-tips-to-get-in-the-in-crowd-on-linkedin/
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