Career-oriented social networking: How to do it right

How to use the Web to boost your business and career prospects

There’s been a lot of press about the negative side effects of social media. After all, many of the things we do in our personal lives (martini, anyone?) may be far-removed from the professional, savvy image we maintain in the workplace. But the reality these days is that if you apply for a job or advertise your services, someone will Google you. And while you may not want pictures of your last pub crawl popping up along with your name, the alternative doesn’t have to be (shouldn’t be) no results at all - which can be just as devastating.

Indeed, if you run a small business or provide professional services for a living and you aren’t using social media, you’re missing out on a major opportunity. So, whether you collect a paycheque or depend on clients and commissions, here’s why – and how – you should start selling yourself online.

Why social media?

You’re a professional, it’s 1920: you have a telephone. You’re a professional, it’s 1980: you have a fax machine. You’re a professional, it’s 1990: you have an email account. It’s 2012, and while there may have been a lot of time in between the phone and the fax, technology continues to accelerate...rapidly. What this means is that social media is not a fad (far from it). Professionals are always expected to be on the cutting edge – or at least the most successful ones are. Unless you have one foot in retirement, you need to get on board with social media; not just because it’s new, but because it’s where the action is. And if you’re looking to build a business or boost your personal brand, that’s exactly where you want to be.

Your message

One big misconception about social media is its reach – most people overestimate it. Yes, a social network like Facebook or Twitter certainly has the power to reach a large number of people, but what many people don’t understand is that simply posting updates doesn’t necessarily mean that your message will reach anyone at all. In other words, you can’t just post messages to social media about your services, your business or your job hunt and expect a response. First, you need an audience, and finding and establishing it is probably the hardest part of developing a successful social media strategy.

Start by determining what you are looking to do and who you want to reach. If you work in an industry where one-on-one, personalized service is important, like real estate, for example, you might start by networking with the people you know, such as your friends and family. After all, this is how a network begins and grows, as people within your circle reach out to those around them.

Before you begin using any type of social media for your career, spend some time thinking about who you want to communicate to and what you want to say; if you don’t have something important and interesting to communicate to a specific audience, chances are your message will be lost in cyberspace.

Your method

Once you know who you want to reach, you need to think about how to reach them. If you are simply looking to make a big career move, a well-developed LinkedIn profile with a few choice recommendations may be enough. When a potential employer looks for you online, he or she will get positive information about your career – and a sense that you take that career seriously.

If you work as a service provider or own a business, you might want to go a little further and delve into Twitter, Facebook and Google+. Which platform to use – or whether to use all three – will depend on your audience. Ask clients or customers whether they have Facebook, Google+ accounts or use Twitter. Also ask how and why they use these networks. This will help you to determine how you can reach those people you already serve and correspondingly, use their networks to spread your business reach.

For example, a restaurateur might encourage customers to follow the restaurant on Twitter or Facebook, then provide updates of upcoming events or specials. Similarly, an accountant might network with clients and others to provide regular tips and updates about tax laws, filing deadlines and deductions. What it all boils down to is connecting with people who care about what you have to offer, then giving them something of value.

Also remember that this is a network, and that as a member of that network you are equal to all its other members. The point isn’t to blast people with information, but to create a conversation. To be successful, you need to not only speak, but to listen and respond to other members of your network as well.

Your voice

Now here comes the tricky part. How can you make your message stand out? When you’re using social media for career reasons, it is essentially a form of advertising (of yourself), and a key problem in any type of advertising is how to make an impact.

One thing that’s clear is that personality sells, so spend some time thinking about what positive attributes make you or your business unique. You can check out major companies (many of which now have entire teams devoted to developing social media campaigns) for inspiration. Ever heard of the Old Spice Guy? You might not be able to get a buff, attractive guy to hawk your services (if you can, good on you!), but you can take inspiration from a campaign that used a specific brand of humour, user interaction and speedy production to create a stir online. And while you may not have the resources of a big corporation, you can think about what you’d like to convey about yourself or your business, and how you can use social media to get people interested and excited about it!

Your progress

If you send out a fresh batch of resumes and get no response, do you keep on sending them, or do you revise them? We hope you opt for the latter! The same goes for social media. All types of social media involve a learning curve. If you aren’t gaining followers, do some more research, look at others in your industry or line of work, and try again.

Just think of your group of friends, co-workers and acquaintances. Chances are, you didn’t build these relationships over night. Building a network of any kind takes time and effort, so it’s important to be patient and keep trying.

Branding yourself

Social media has gotten a lot of hard knocks for its ability to make private (and often embarrassing) moments of our lives public. But much like you ditch your frumpy weekend clothes and dress the part of a successful careerist, you can also carefully construct a polished and professional image online. After all, playing the part is the first step to landing it.

 

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