Social networks to boost your career: professional, business
Social media is not only a source of entertainment or information, it has become a powerful professional tool. Search for a new job, expand your network of labor contacts or show your work to potential employers, collaborators, and the public: all this is possible thanks to certain specialized platforms and other multipurpose ones. In this article, we will explain which are the best.
As you may already know, LinkedIn is the queen of social media for the workplace. This platform allows you to upload your CV, search for interesting job positions and connect with thousands of professionals in your sector and others like it. To get the most out of it, we recommend that you keep your profile up-to-date and seek colleagues or superiors who can validate your skills to give you more credibility. You should also post some of your projects with results that can be seen publicly.
About Me
About.me is a platform used by thousands of professionals. It allows you to create a portfolio with your projects and initiatives and centralize all your social profiles in one place. With About.me you can create your totally personalized page, include your accounts in other networks and publish blogs or articles that you have written. In addition, it has other interesting options such as creating a domain with your name, creating newsletters to inform others of your professional news, etc.
Meetup
Meetup is primarily a social network to meet people in your local area and share experiences. Meetup has begun establishing itself as a place where you can meet other professionals in your local area to help with networking. You can use the app to find existing groups in your area (for example for freelancers) or create your own groups.
Viadeo
Viadeo is a professional social network of French origin that is popularized mainly thanks to its job search engine. It has more than 45 million members and is spread throughout Europe and Asia. Viadeo allows you to discover business opportunities (find clients, partners, and suppliers), increase your visibility and online reputation, and develop a network of professional contacts since the majority of those registered already have jobs.
If you thought that Instagram only served to show and share moments of fun, you are wrong: the photography network can become an excellent place to showcase your work. Especially if you have a creative profession, it will serve to extend your network of contacts, as long as you use an account exclusively for professional topics. Don't hesitate to share your projects, create a brand image, and don't forget to include your email so that potential partners or employers can contact you.
Again, another network that at first does not seem important in terms of work but can become your best platform for networking: Twitter has become a professional shuttle for many people from all walks of life. If you have an account, tweet (and retweet) regularly on topics that you are an expert in, follow other people in your sector, and share topics of interest with your followers. You never know where you can find a good career opportunity.
Tips to optimize the use of your professional networks
- Keep your profile updated, especially your work situation and your contact information
- Publish regularly with care and prudence, showing that you are professional
- Pay attention to the photo you use and think about adapting it to each social network
- The idea is to network, so work on your network and expand it whenever you can
- Join groups on topics that interest you to find like-minded people.
- When you're actively looking for a job, put a clear professional headline, with keywords that will allow potential employers or clients to find you by Googling.