You are what you share. This is even more true when it comes to your technology career. As you are trying to get exposed to new opportunities and boost your technology career, you need to use all the means possible to help you portray your professional technology picture. With that said, using social media platforms is a great way to communicate your achievements and career aspirations. Keep in mind that just creating profiles is not going to do much. In an era where almost everyone has a social media presence, take a look at how to use social media for your technology career.
The Space to Network
We all do it. We want to connect with a hiring manager or a valuable contact and we go on LinkedIn to find them and link up. Although there is no better way to boost your technology career than meeting face-to-face, social media is the second best place to interact with others and grow your network. Find former and current colleagues on social media and connect with them to establish strong relationships. “Like” the Facebook pages of organizations you would like to work for, and “follow” hiring managers and IT recruiters on Twitter to keep in touch with valuable contacts. Introduce yourself to a previously unknown world, and keep taking advantage of social media for your technology career.
In Touch with the Industry
Technology is full of change. A great way to stimulate your technology career is by staying on top of those changes, and this is where social media is of great help. For example, joining industry groups on LinkedIn allows you to be informed and remain up-to-date with innovation, changes and breakthroughs in your field. Engaging with IT recruiters on Twitter allows you to be seen as someone who cares about their career and is looking to excel. Keep in mind that when you use social media for your technology career you don’t need to spend valuable time chasing down industry news and trends.
Sell Your Value
A great method of using social media for your technology career is to take advantage of the openness offered by these platforms. View your LinkedIn profile as a virtual resume that hiring managers and IT recruiters can access to get a thorough understanding of your technology value. If, for instance, you are a .net developer, use Facebook and Twitter to talk about software that you are proficient with or applications that you have developed in the past. In other words, use social media to promote your professional value and don’t hesitate to brag about it. Make sure that your profiles have a professional look and avoid postings that are personal in nature.
Another Way to Prevail
You just had an interview and you wish you had a way to stay in touch with the hiring manager or the organization you are looking to join. Have you thought of engaging with them on social media? Connect with your interviewer and “like” the company page for updates and news releases. Even if you don’t land the job, you are creating great potential for future opportunities with them. Similarly, attract the attention of IT recruiters and hiring managers by regularly posting industry relevant content on your social media profiles and engaging with your space. Get positive impressions by using social media for your technology career advancement.
Get Out What You Get In
The more effort you put into social media for your technology career, the better results you are going to get. As said before, creating a Twitter account and posting on it once in a blue moon, or having an outdated LinkedIn profile that confuses instead of portraying your value, isn’t going to pay back. What you need is a systematic approach and an organized method of attack. Dedicate time to your social media campaign in order to be detected by employers or IT recruiters who are searching for professionals like you. Blend social media into your career advancement and take advantage of this tremendous opportunity.
Key Takeaways Having a Social Media Presence:
1. Use social media to grow and expand your network of contacts
2. Keep in touch with the industry trends through social media
3. Take advantage of social media to talk about and promote your professional value
4. Employ social media as another way to penetrate your space
5. Dedicate time and effort behind your social media campaign
