Social Media 101: Young Professionals Edition
Social media is a tricky field to navigate – one minute you’re retweeting a funny meme, the next you’re trying to figure out how to describe your new job on LinkedIn. It isn’t easy to know how to use social media as a young professional, but Women in Communications put together some helpful tips that may be useful the next time you look to update your accounts.
In general:
Change your username to your name. It is easier to find you that way and it is embarrassing to still be @coolsk8gurl1232. If you can create a cool play off of your name, feel free to do that too.
Check your bios! It’s okay to be funny or cute, but this is the perfect place to add a nod to your professional side. Try to link to your personal website or LinkedIn so employers can find this information right away.
Your picture can be a headshot, a fun candid, or whatever you want it to be. Just make sure it’s something appropriate.
Consider creating a theme! Matching your header to your profile pic looks cohesive, and choosing one color to link everything together throughout your accounts looks sleek and fun.
Private or public? That’s a choice you’ll have to make for yourself. However, if you’re planning on going into a field like journalism, where it is expected you’ll have your own opinions and stories to share, it might be best to open it up. It’s also a reality that having private accounts might make employers think you have something to hide. Truthfully, it is best just to decide what you want to put out there. It is up to you to be as public or locked down as you want.
Be picky about what you share! Quality content is going to be something you’re proud to post and want to show the world.
Twitter:
Keep it real. When employers are checking out your Twitter feed, they want to see what you’re really like as a person. It is important to share what you’re passionate about and truly interested in.
Be aware. Even though it’s a tale as old as time, anything you say can be used against you later. Make sure you’re only sharing what you’d be comfortable hearing read back to you later in an interview.
Be creative! Twitter is a word-based medium, and this is a place to show how talented you are with your writing. It is also is the perfect place to share links to pieces you’ve written, cool media you’ve found, and whatever else sparks your interest. Twitter is the perfect space for a quick thought.
Consider making a personal and professional account! It might be a good idea to have a Twitter that is solely dedicated to your work. This is especially true if you plan on going into journalism-related fields, or places where your opinion will be scrutinized by what you post online.
Instagram:
Pictures are the perfect way to show off your personality.
Once again, know that the Internet is forever. Be smart about what you’re posting.
This is an unparalleled medium for showing off your creativity. If you are interested in photography or graphic design, Instagram is a great place to showcase your talents. Consider making an account just for your photography or work that you’ve done. You can send the link along to potential employers and show how you’ve used the medium to promote yourself.
Facebook:
Facebook isn’t going to be the place to show off your work unless you make a page. If you do make a page on Facebook, treat it professionally and use it as a profile for your work.
On your personal Facebook pages, try to lock down as much information as you can. Make public posts only about the things you wouldn’t mind a potential employer seeing – aka, the world might need to see all of your funny cat videos!
LinkedIn:
Start with your resume and input your work experience.
Don’t use paragraphs – bullets keep things concise and easy to read.
Link, link, link, link! It is so important to link to things you’ve done – it could be to a project you worked on in class, a blog you wrote for a club, or a video your produced at your last internship. LinkedIn is perfect for expanding on your resume with tangible examples.
Write an engaging bio! Try experimenting with writing in the style of an elevator pitch – it’ll be a quick and easy way for employers to see who you are.
Update your byline! Make sure it is your most recent work experience.
Pick a location based on where you are applying to jobs – if you are looking in NYC, consider making that your location. It shows employers you are serious about working in the area.
Use a headshot. This is the place you want to use a professional picture of yourself and show you’re to be taken seriously!
