Social media significantly influences both our online and offline existence. People frequently develop (and break) connections depending on the common platforms, from the platforms we are active on to the types of material we engage with. People who use Twitter are frequently in the know, anticipating trends before anybody else, whereas LinkedIn is a serious-minded person's professional development site.
It makes sense that our online presence would affect our jobs as everything we like and share online contributes to our digital identity. Additionally, as remote work becomes more prevalent, it's critical now more than ever to know how to connect with colleagues and mentors on social media.
In this blog, we'll discuss the various ways that social media may affect our work lives and how you can take advantage of that to advance your career.
How can I use social media to enhance my career?
Many people believe their online presence is not very important to their career unless they work in digital marketing. However, there are a lot of reasons why you should be concerned, not the least of which is that it's now commonplace to browse potential employees' social media accounts.
Although it is still up for debate whether this is ethical or not, it's common for recruiters and the businesses they work for to comb through a candidate's social network to seek red or green lights. A microcosm of who you are can be found in your social media profiles, and everything from the information you upload to the people you follow can reveal a lot about you.
You can develop a solid personal brand by being mindful of your Internet presence. Making sure you aren't being a jerk online is crucial, but so is curating your voice so that the real you can be seen and heard.
Not to mention, social media might let you interact with people you might not have otherwise met.
Social networks can help you advance your career in many ways, including professionally, commercially, and through other possible avenues.
1. Create a professional network
Relationship-building and smart networking might be helpful for your career. You should make an effort to expand your network and connect with like-minded people. Wherever connections are needed, having a powerful network can be helpful. You can quickly turn to your network for assistance if you are performing any job for the first time and require assistance from seasoned specialists.
Social media and career advancement go hand in hand; professionals take advantage of this chance to better utilize technology. Social media may help young professionals connect with new networks across their business, organization, location, etc.
Building a large and elaborate network in this way allows me to learn from others' experiences and understand the industry better. People who want to advance in their field can network with others who share their interests. Or, if someone wants to change careers, online networking is helpful since it allows them to contact people from various backgrounds and learn more about the field they want to enter. As a result, social media has a pretty significant impact on job decisions.
2. Expand your skills
Your skills can sell you for any profile or career. Try to improve your skills so they can benefit you in the long run. These abilities could be in the form of Microsoft Office, Microsoft Java, Photoshop, or leadership, communication, or leadership skills. We used to learn things from our instructors, siblings, or parents before, but thanks to these platforms, we can now learn anything.
There is a ton of valuable video content on YouTube. You can find learning tutorials offered by specialists on several channels, join any channel and pick the skill you want to study.
You can also learn one of the many popular programming languages like PHP, Python, and JavaScript.
In addition to YouTube, other media sources include blogs and instructional videos on Facebook, Instagram, and other websites, etc.
Users of LinkedIn can search for specific skills and review the skills of profiles belonging to related professions. You can then determine which talent you need to learn to become a professional. The learning platforms on LinkedIn also provide several upskilling courses.
Professionals can also access the job description listed online, grasp the abilities necessary for the position they desire to apply for, and acquire those skills to improve their chances of getting hired.
3. Be careful while making an important career decision
Some people require expert direction to understand what and how they should learn. You can look at the profiles of other professionals to determine the best career route for you. Make a well-informed choice about your future professional path. You should be aware of and comprehend what functions best for you to make an informed selection about the ideal job path.
Users of LinkedIn can explore profiles with comparable capabilities to find out what credentials and expertise other profiles have. Additionally, you can find out what degrees others in your desired field are pursuing following graduation. You might find it beneficial to search for and find active jobs on LinkedIn. You can choose a career in an informed manner in this way.
4. Show off your abilities and talent on social media
The key to using social media effectively is to showcase and promote your expertise. You may perfectly demonstrate your skills and knowledge on social media platforms. Depending on your ability level, you can also use various platforms to showcase your abilities. For example, writers can show their work on Tumblr, Medium, or WordPress, and graphic designers can display their work on Pinterest, Snapchat, or Behance.
Developers and programmers showcase their coding skills on GitHub accounts, while some knowledgeable and seasoned professionals use Quora to offer their knowledge.
Conclusion
The power of social media to launch and build a career is enormous. Today, a lot of professionals and students are using social media to explore new options and take a variety of courses to become more accustomed to the platform. If your profile is public, it should, at the very least, be appropriate for the workplace.
Nothing should prevent you from getting a job if a potential employer checks out your social media profiles. By joining Facebook and LinkedIn groups, you should also aim to stay responsive and engaged with relevant networks.
Shellye is committed to helping people from diverse backgrounds achieve their careers and life aspirations. The content published above was made in collaboration with our members.
Shellye Archambeau is determined to help you with all possible strategies to climb the ladder of success. She values your feedback. Do mention them in the comment section below.