Social media is a wonderful tool; it gives us the ability to connect with individuals and immediate access to a myriad of information across industries and on a global scale. We have access to groups, forums, events, research and much more. One of my favorite professional social sites is LinkedIn because of the networking opportunity and sourcing abilities.

                Here are a few tips:

1.       Update your profile- Your profile is an online resume; make sure you update it periodically with achievements, community involvement and appropriate keywords. Include websites and share articles.

2.       Come up with a catchy heading- Be different and innovative, give people a reason to keep on reading your profile.

3.       Join relevant groups- The ability to join groups gives you access to a bigger audience and the opportunity to connect for free. It also gives you access to that specific network when performing searches.

4.       Participate in discussions- This will create a brand presence not only for yourself but for your company. People are curious and most will check out your profile. The more visible you are the better.

                LinkedIn gives individuals the opportunity to professionally expose themselves and connect with people that have the same interest or that are out of reach.  You never know when one of your connections will become a useful resource! Feel free to connect with me on LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/virginiemascia!

Do you leverage LinkedIn?

Virginie

 Is it possible to avoid social networks these days? We definitely live in a social network overload type of world but do you know what’s out there about you?

I recently visited a university and had an interesting conversation with the dean of business about how students are oblivious that their information online will affect their job search. He was trying to explain that pictures, postings and personal information are now (more than ever) crucial in job searches. Of course they were convinced that it wasn’t a big deal, however he’s spot on; part of sourcing and researching a candidate is utilizing social networking sites. Should you really care about your social profiles; is it that serious? Yes, recruiters and employers are diligently searching these sites. They want to know who they are hiring and if the individual fits their values and culture.

Tips:

• Google search your name
• Whether you know it or not, your social media page could be your first impression
• As a rule of thumb NEVER post something you wouldn’t want shared publicly. That’s it; end of story!
• Be cautious of applications: when you “allow” applications you are giving them access to view specific information of you and your friends.
• Clean up your profiles
• Do not permit foul language
• Last resort, and some of you will have separation anxiety, but temporarily take your page down during your job search

If you think your information is private, think again! There are always ways around that… Check out this video montage called “The World is Obsessed with Facebook” to give you an idea of Facebook stats.  http://youtu.be/xJXOavGwAW8

Tata for now....

Virginie