Use social media to energise your career

Social media is a great way to build your profile and stand out as a job candidate says expert Catriona Pollard.

The owner of PR firm CP Communications, Pollard teaches social media at the Sydney Writer’s Centre and also blogs on the topic.

In the early days of social media, the career advice focused on what not to do – posting inappropriate photos and comments on Facebook or other platforms.

Now the focus is on what you should do. Ms Pollard says the basics include creating an industry-related blog, claiming your personal url, creating a Twitter account and creating a professional profile.

CareerOne recommends using BeKnown to create a professional profile. Developed by Monster, the joint venture owner of CareerOne with News Limited, BeKnown is an app that allows you to create a professional profile on the Facebook platform. There are other platforms such as Linked In.

Here is four ways a social media profile can help and eight tips from Ms Pollard on getting started:

Build your profile

The goal of blogging and tweeting is to raise your profile as a thought leader in your industry or profession.

Social media as a career tool is not about sharing personal information or random thoughts about the people in your office.

You want to share valuable information by either sharing tips and advice you learn about in the course of your work or from articles you read on other blogs, online, in books, Twitter or places like BeKnown.

I can’t say this often enough: It’s about being known for the right reasons.

“Social media will help you network, establish credibility, build a profile in your sector and share information as well as provide an outlet for your professional passion and purpose,” says Ms Pollard.

“Social media is a set of tools that create conversations, connections and the sharing of information.”

Contribute to your industry

By becoming a thought leader and gaining a following you can help educate and engage other people in your sector and even start contributing via panel discussions, invitations to guest blog or other opportunities.

Using social media is a great way for you to learn new information to bring to your organisation too.

Network and make valuable contacts

Connecting with people of influence is easier online than trying to get face time.
Like traditional networking, social media will only work if you have something of value to share but by following people of influence and contributing  comments and sharing links, you could develop relationships that lead to a face-to-face meeting.

Get “proven” experience

Social media is fast becoming a standard form of communication used by government and the private sector to educate and interact with clients and customers. By using your initiative to develop these skills, you will have “proven” experience you can list on your CV.

This will not only demonstrate how you could add value to your next employer but that you proactively pursue professional development. Go you.

Ms Pollard’s tips for those starting out include:

1. Know who you are and what you stand for

Take some time to define your “personal brand” or reputation.

“Ask people around you how they perceive you – are you funny, serious, someone who gets the job done quickly. Once

your self impression is the same as your external image then you have a good brand,” says Ms Pollard.

Defining your personal brand will help you develop the type of content you place online and how you place it, she

says.

Pollard says pick one thing you want to be known for. “Mine is inspiration – I inspire other people or I act in the

way that inspires people to take action.”

2. Know your topic platform

Pollard says your “platform” is your expertise – the knowledge you want to be known for, for example, a particular

aspect of science or engineering.

3. Choose your social media platforms

The platforms Ms Pollard recommends are Blogger, which is free but there are other free or low cost blogging

platforms such as WordPress. She also recommends Twitter and having a professional profile such as BeKnown or Linked

In.

4. Know your audience

Identify your target audience who could be recruiters, peers and senior managers in your sector – keep them in mind

when sharing information and choosing the language to use when posting.

5. Know your purpose

An obvious purpose is to become known in your sector but what else?

Ms Pollard recommends setting some specific goals even if they are long term such as becoming a leading subject

matter expert in your field or developing a media profile or getting a new job.

By setting goals you identify people that can help you reach your goal.

6. Play it safe at work

Ms Pollard says it might be a good idea to let your manager know about your blog and Twitter stream. Keep in mind

you are an employee.

7. What you will need

Ms Pollard says you can claim your personal url for as little as $10-$12 a year for your blog. There are also lots

of simple tutorials online about claiming your personal url for Facebook and elsewhere. Also, set up a Google alert

on your name and set it to comprehensive.

8. Frequency of activity

Ms Pollard recommends four tweets a day. Check out Tweet Deck to find out how to automate a week’s worth of tweets

on a Sunday night. You can send re-tweets while sitting on the bus or train. It doesn’t have to be hard. She also

says posting at least a blog a week is a good idea and ensuring you post these to your professional social media

platforms. Even 200 words a post is good. Jot down ideas as they come to you. Ms Pollard also recommends spending

about 10 minutes a day your professional social media platform making comments or updating your activity or posting

a link.