5 Ways to Start Getting Social with Your Career - Introvert Whisperer

Introvert Whisperer / 5 Ways to Start Getting Social with Your Career - Introvert Whisperer 5 Ways to Start Getting Social with Your Career   The workforce is highly competitive in any profession and at any age. In order to stand out from the crowd and progress in your field, you must adopt practices that showcase your knowledge and unique abilities. The best way to do this is by being social, both online and in person. Guaranteed Removals, a North American online reputation management firm, has helped thousands of professionals launch their career into overdrive by implementing social strategies. Below are their 5 tips on how professionals can get social to boost their careers. 1. Create a Professional Identity Everything you do online, from comments to likes, is a representation of your character. Before you start posting content online and interacting with others, you must decide how you want to be seen by the public. What do you want to be known for? What are your strengths, skills, goals, and achievements? How do others in your field present themselves online? These answers will help you develop your professional identity and dictate your online behavior. When creating online content, think about what you would feel comfortable with your employer, coworkers, and employees seeing. Additionally, it is important to establish boundaries between your personal and professional life. You do not need to share every piece of information, and often you shouldn’t, as it will distract viewers from your goal of establishing a professional online presence. 2. Build Your LinkedIn Profile Any serious professional has a LinkedIn profile. It’s an online resume that can be accessed by anyone at all times, and is an effective way to network with other professionals, as well as stay in the loop on employment opportunities from your favorite companies. Even if you are not actively looking for a new job, it’s great to be aware of the opportunities available to you. Start by fully completing your profile with your work history, skills, and achievements. We recommend emitting any job history that is no longer relevant to your current career goals. No one needs to know about your first job at a fast-food chain. Additionally, a professional profile picture is essential. No selfies or cropped party photos. If you aren’t interested in getting a professional photo taken, ask a friend to snap a picture of you in business casual clothes against a clear background, like a brick building or a clean white wall (iPhone portrait mode works great!). After your profile is complete, start connecting with past and present co-workers, employers, and classmates. You never know what acquaintances or past co-workers are looking to hire someone with your exact set of skills! Additionally, these connections will be extremely valuable for the next step: sharing professional content. Post a LinkedIn blog on a topic you’re an expert on or share an interesting article related to your profession. This type of online activity is great for engaging with others and becoming part of a conversation. 3. Display Your Skills and Passion If you want others to see you as a successful and knowledgeable professional, you must display your skills. No matter what your skills are, there is a way to effectively communicate with them through online content. From blogging, YouTube videos, personal websites, ResearchGate (for those with published scientific work), you can market yourself as a professional expert. Do you enjoy talking in front of a camera? Do you have a love for writing? Whatever you’re strengths, there’s a platform for you. Do not feel discouraged from the fact that there are so many people sharing content online. The goal is to have proof of your skills for other professionals to see, not to gain thousands of followers (although that is definitely a plus!). If potential employers see this content, they won’t care about your follower account. They will care about the quality of what you are saying. If you’re looking to create a larger online presence, develop a unique and creative way to deliver your thoughts that differentiates your content from others. 4. Attend Networking Events The online world is great for staying in contact long-term with professionals. However, nothing can replace quality face-to-face conversation. If you agree, you’re likely the type of person to thrive at networking events. Find networking events by exploring online professional communities, such as Facebook groups, and set up Google Alerts for networking events in your area. Often it takes a few events to fully feel comfortable in these settings, so don’t get discouraged if the first event doesn’t go as planned. Can’t find something you’re looking for? Create it! Use your online network to build a community and spread the word. Attend local meetups to get inspiration for your own event. 5. Create an Online Community For those with a passion to connect and share, this tip is for you. After establishing an online presence, use your platform to create an online community where hardworking professionals with similar goals to you can bond and network. Not only is this a great way to be more social with your career, it’s also a great way to receive constant motivation when striving to meet your own career goals. A great example of a professional who created their own online community is Cassey Ho, a fitness instructor and creator of Blogilates. Blogilates began as a single YouTube video posted by Ho to help students of her Pilates class practice on their own. However, the video received thousands of views and comments from women wanting more fitness advice. This inspired Ho to create an online fitness community, where women share their stories on weight loss, weight gain, nutrition, body image, and even entrepreneur advice. Cassey Ho has effectively created a safe space for women to support each oth er in various aspects of their lives.   This online community has transformed Ho’s career and led her to tackle many other professional endeavors, such as publishing a book, designing clothing, and speaking at public events. Although creating an online community takes years of hard work, it all started with a simple YouTube video for Cassey Ho. So what are you waiting for?! Bio: Michelle works from home. She has handled and developed winning marketing strategies for start-ups, non-profits, and corporations. You can connect with Michelle via her LinkedIn. 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