4
PROMOTE YOURSELF IN REAL TIME
The tentacles of social media may seem threatening from an introvert's point of view. You prefer to retain your privacy, so you may be concerned about overexposure online. In today's competitive market, however, you must be ready and willing to expose a portion of your private self to join the online ranks of other successful professionals. If you are still feeling apprehensive, don't turn the page quite yet. Even an introvert like yourself can learn to open the door just enough to make social media an effective and amiable tool.
Using social media allows you to put quality thought into building your brand and establishing an attractive online presence. Not only does social media give you time to think before you write, but you can sit at your desk and quietly research and review company summaries without interruption. At the same time, this platform lets you reach out and establish valuable professional contacts.
In this chapter I will demonstrate how social media is a perfect marketing tool for introverts. I will help you determine the optimal level of exposure to support your professional development while respecting your need for adequate privacy. You will learn to write a complete and engaging professional profile on LinkedIn as well as shorter profiles for Twitter and Facebook. And you'll be wide-eyed with amazement when you realize the extent to which social media can complement and support your working life.
LinkedIn has become one of the most powerful forces in the career-building cosmos. This essential tool is an ideal way to connect with industry professionals, and it paves the way along a smooth, fast track to exploring and identifying new opportunities. As of this writing, LinkedIn has 575 million national and international members representing 200 countries. Considering it has190 million users a day and three million active job leads, an ever-growing cadre of hiring managers and recruiters look to LinkedIn as a strong ally to find winning candidates.1
Let the Force of LinkedIn Be With You
With half a billion members, LinkedIn is the largest online professional network. It has many benefits, some of which are included in the following list. LinkedIn:
Increases visibility. You can find people, and people can find you. This is the beauty of LinkedIn for introverts. Since you have already introduced yourself in writing through your profile, a prospective employer or colleague can easily locate you and learn more about your professional background, accomplishments, and skills before contacting you about a potential opportunity. Alternatively, if you are reaching out to a colleague or senior leader you haven't personally met, you avoid telephone tag and voicemail messages—another plus for introverts. On LinkedIn you make the initial connection by sending an introductory message through your profile, which could get you a quicker response than traditional voicemail messaging.
Builds networks. The very heart of LinkedIn is the capability it provides to build and organize your professional network. You can easily invite people to join your network, and an invitee just might lead you to a valuable contact.
Provides up-to-date information. LinkedIn is a terrific resource on so many levels. You can get continuing updates on what is happening behind the scenes in your field. You can also accept invitations to join groups, as well as research summaries of companies and organizations that interest you.
Maximizes job postings. More and more employers are flocking to LinkedIn to advertise job openings. Recruiters and hiring managers have made it their quest to pinpoint a champion candidate by scanning hundreds of LinkedIn profiles.
Enhances opportunity. LinkedIn can also lead to offers for contract work on special projects, a request for a speaking engagement, or an opportunity to write for blogs or publications.
You might feel as if the whole world is watching you on social media. This is the reason introverts often turn on the caution light and offer minimal information on their profiles. Whatever your reservations are, don't take the nearest exit. Give yourself the green light to discover what LinkedIn can offer you, and create a profile that will get noticed by colleagues, employers, and leaders in your field.
Robert: The LinkedIn Doubter
When Robert, a reserved but fully competent introvert, initially hopped on the LinkedIn bandwagon, he set up his account to include the bare minimum about his experience and skills. After I explained how he could leverage LinkedIn in his career, Robert decided to go the distance with his profile. We worked on expanding his LinkedIn summary and opening the door to more contacts.
As a result, a rich and unexpected opportunity developed when his former boss, Suzanne, a vice provost of student affairs, accepted his invitation to connect. She sent him a LinkedIn message suggesting they catch up over the phone. They spoke soon thereafter, discussing new trends and trajectories they were seeing in the field. Suzanne then told Robert she had been invited to present a workshop at a major professional conference and asked Robert to be her coleader. This is a classic and compelling example of how a LinkedIn connection can directly lead to an exciting opportunity.
Stepping Into LinkedIn
Getting started on LinkedIn is simple! Follow these steps and you'll have an attractive and exciting account in no time.
Open an Account
Simply go to the website, fill out some basic information, and click the “Join” button. You will be asked to confirm your email. Don't worry about how you come across on LinkedIn just yet; you can decide when to make your information public.
Choose a Headshot
Your photo is one of the first things people see when they view your profile. Make sure you look approachable and professional in your picture. Think of your photo as a means to convey personal qualities such as warmth, seriousness, and compassion. Although approximately 60 percent of the photo is your face, dress in a way that matches your industry and professional level. If you are still wavering about including a photo, think again. According to recent LinkedIn statistics, views of your profile increase by eleven times when you include a headshot.
Write a Headline
Say your headline out loud, as this is the first line of text that appears at the top right-hand side beneath your name. You can use the headline from your resume as a starting point, but you may want to tweak and adjust the text to generate more electricity and overall appeal.
Let's look at four headline examples that use different styles and approaches to successfully target their industry.
Chief Creative Officer
Strategist on storytelling, development, and execution—a “show whisperer” to media producers and content networks.
Customer Success Manager: Empowering Customers to Excel at Social Selling
Veterinarian, Feline Medicine and Surgery
Experienced Criminal Defense and Civil Rights Attorney
To attract clients and customers, the first two examples include tag lines that explain their functions in greater depth. In contrast, the last two represent more conventional fields and therefore focus their headlines on their areas of expertise without additional commentary.
Summarize Your Information
This is where the overture plays and the curtain goes up on you and your career, so turn a spotlight on yourself that brings colleagues and prospective employers to their feet with applause. As you do with a resume, consider the characteristics and needs of the target audience, and weave those all-important keywords into the fabric of your summary. You can borrow from your resume summary here, but remember that you have 2,000 characters in a LinkedIn profile. This reality gives you more space to create a self-portrait that shines.
To get a jump on writing your LinkedIn summary, answer the following questions. You might not use all the information from your answers, but thinking about these questions will help you determine what to pinpoint in your summary.
What are the central themes of your career story?
What makes you a competent professional?
What are your most significant career achievements? (You should already have some answers to this question from Chapter 3.)
What compliments have you received from supervisors, colleagues, customers, or clients about your work and personal style?
In which areas do you have professional expertise?
How have you have built and sustained professional relationships?
In which industry databases, programs, tools, or techniques are you proficient?
The following examples present different styles of LinkedIn summaries. However, they all succeed in telling a more vivid career story than the summary written for a resume, and their use of the first person brings out a personal, engaging tone.
Technology Consultant
IT and Change Professional | Connecting People, Ideas, and Technology
I believe technology that embraces human factors can make peoples' lives better. But often when change is necessary, people respond with skepticism.
I focus my talents and creative curiosity on inspiring and empowering people to thrive throughout the change process. Management appreciates my people-centered approach, leveraging the powerful affinity between the principles of user experience and those of change management. Because in the end, it is the people who are affected most by new systems, websites, or products.
Susan uses the summary to introduce her philosophy on technology and how it impacts people. Her purpose and personality come through as well as her approach to working with her senior-level clients. This summary is creative and engaging.
Director at Open Book
Writing and Publishing Consultant/Entrepreneur
I spent my career in the publishing industry as an editor, literary agent, journalist, and author. I am a creative thinker and problem-solver, and I love to innovate. My favorite phrase is: “I have an idea!” I'm a skilled writer and editor, and enjoy helping authors make their writing better. I've written and published several books and currently write a regular blog, “Get Lit,” for Philadelphia City Paper. I also run a new independent bookstore, The Open Book Bookstore.
This summary combines a variety of roles and skills with achievements and personality, all powerfully packed into a single paragraph.
COO, Liveoak Technologies
I am currently the Chief Operating Officer at Liveoak Technologies. This startup combines video-conferencing, real-time collaboration, and electronic signature to help enterprises better serve their customers and eliminate paperwork. I lead Liveoak's NYC presence and focus on sales and business development.
Most recently, I was a Program Associate with the Barclays Accelerator powered by Techstars. Prior to Techstars, I was an Investment Banking Associate in the Real Estate Group at Credit Suisse. I have experience analyzing and executing IPOs, M&A, and other capital markets transactions for REITs, hotels, homebuilders, casinos, and leisure companies. Prior to joining Credit Suisse, I received a JD/MBA from Vanderbilt University and a BA from Duke University.
I'm an open networker—I can be reached at: [email protected]
This young professional uses his summary as a focal point for his experience, skill set, qualifications, and overall credibility. Like many young professionals, he has already had more than one career. Emphasizing his experience and qualifications works well in the summary because it supports the trajectory and diversity of his career.
These examples demonstrate that it is possible, within your own comfort level and style, to compose a summary that stands proud, recognizes the qualities that make you unique and valuable, and supports your brand. When composing your summary, first consider the nature of your industry and your career background. Next, envision how these blend with your distinctive talents and personal strengths. Then it is up to you to decide how best to use all of this seminal information to score big points on your LinkedIn summary.
Skill Set
Listing skills on your profile page is easy! Pull from the skills exercise and from your resume, and people will see how competent and knowledgeable you are. If you still find yourself struggling to identify some important skills related to your field, go to www.linkedin.com/directory/topics-a/ and look up job titles or general industry areas; there you will see a list of the top skills associated with each job title. Add the ones that genuinely reflect your abilities to the list of skills on your profile. An added benefit to listing skills: They are often rich in keywords, which can further attract recruiters and hiring managers who use computer systems to track candidates.
Once you complete your list, you open the door for colleagues and professional contacts to endorse your skills. Of course, you will want to reciprocate and endorse your contacts for their skills, too.
Recommendations
Don't be bashful when it comes to something as “self-serving” as asking for recommendations. If you excelled at your work, allow others the honor of acknowledging your success. Recognize that bosses or clients are usually delighted to give you that deserved pat on the back and validate your star performance.
If you are an entrepreneur or if you work in fields such as consulting or marketing and sales, seek recommendations from customers or clients. Recommendations back up and support the hard-earned accomplishments and rich attributes that you present in your profile.
Many senior-level professionals are now accustomed to writing short recommendations for employees or clients on LinkedIn, which tend to be a total of four to five sentences. This is far less demanding than writing the longer, traditional letters of recommendation. Think strategically and select a mix of people who can speak about different skills and achievements. Depending on your relationship with the person, you may even want to offer some pointers on what to emphasize. If you receive a recommendation that is poorly written or you don't feel comfortable with, don't worry. LinkedIn will forward the recommendation to you first via email, and you can decide whether or not you want to accept it. Rest assured that a recommendation is never posted on your profile without your permission.
After you review a recommendation, you may see a spelling error or a slight problem with the content. If you feel comfortable doing so, you can request that the person make small edits or changes on a LinkedIn recommendation.
Consider paying it forward. As others have done for you, be willing to write LinkedIn recommendations for colleagues, interns, or employees you have mentored, supervised, or highly respect.
Accomplishments
Consider adding some accomplishments, such as certifications, community involvement, volunteer experiences, academic course work, publications, and any honors bestowed and awards presented. Just as these features enhance your resume, they also champion your success on your LinkedIn profile.
Education
Similar to a resume, this profile includes the basics of your academic background: your college or university, major, and degree. You can also use this section to list school activities, academic societies, research study, or special projects (if you are a recent graduate). If you have been out of school for a while but continue your involvement in alumni activities, you can highlight this as well. It's also fine to leave out graduation dates if you finished school many years ago and are sensitive to age discrimination.
Groups
LinkedIn Groups are taking flight as an ever-increasing array of professions and industries have organized them. Imagine these groups as a dynamic constellation of stars in your field from all over the professional galaxy. These groups allow you to widen your world to the entire planet. You can participate in relevant industry discussions with other group members and discover resources to support your career development.
This is an industrial-strength network tool for introverts. Just by tapping your keyboard, you can build rewarding and productive relationships with experts in your field and remain on the cutting-edge of your profession—not to mention the added benefit of colleagues, hiring managers, and senior leaders in your field noticing that you are serious about your professional development.
Multimedia and Video
Make a head-turning splash on your LinkedIn profile by sprinkling in some media. Have you created and presented a slide show at work or managed a special event? How about that article you wrote for a professional online publication? Or maybe you hit the big time with a piece published by popular online media like the Huffington Post. What about the valuable advice you provided on your blog? Put a spotlight on your career story in words and pictures with the artful use of multimedia posts in your profile. Just hit the edit pencil in the uppermost section of your profile, and you will see the “Media” heading. Here you can either upload a file or add a link to videos, photos, external documents (such as articles), or presentations (such as slides).
If you can let go of some modesty, include a video clip that shows you delivering a presentation to a group. Or be daring and produce a three-minute video showing off your knowledge and passion for the work you do. Whether you prefer to display your writing talent while staying discreetly behind the scenes, or you present a video clip and go boldly where you've never gone before, multimedia can help you tell your story in brazen and brilliant color.
Tie a Bow on Your LinkedIn Profile
Customize your URL: When you sign up, LinkedIn provides you with a URL that includes a chunk of numbers alongside your name. Since you will use this LinkedIn URL to promote your profile on your resume and business cards, you'll want to keep it as simple as possible. To simplify your URL address to the user friendly LinkedIn.com/yourname, just click “edit” and get rid of all the numbers.
Add links: You can include up to three URLs on your profile summary. Links to your professional website, blog, or online portfolio can supplement your profile and further demonstrate your technical and work-related skills.
Include relevant job descriptions: It isn't necessary to list every job you have ever held under the “Experience” category. Include jobs that match your career goals and target employers, and describe the most relevant parts of your experience. You can paste in some descriptions from your resume, but make these shorter and tighter on LinkedIn. If you have been out of work for a while or recently graduated, it is perfectly acceptable to list internships and volunteer and leadership activities. Keep in mind your readers' mad dash to review your profile; if it starts to feel like a never-ending journey, you will lose their attention and patience.
Update your status: Check in frequently with your LinkedIn profile to make sure your information is current and up to date. Post updates on any changes that may have occurred in your professional life, such as a job change or promotion, industry awards, or a special achievement.
Stay on top of your game: Make an effort to post and share industry-related articles or questions that might provoke an energetic discussion at least once or twice a month. In addition, be vigilant about reading posts from colleagues or leaders. When you discover a colleague has posted an update about a promotion or new job, be sure to congratulate them! And don't miss the possibility of colleagues, employers, and recruiters reaching out to you through LinkedIn email messages. An exciting new opportunity or a connection with a thought leader could be waiting for you.
Indicate your “Career Interests”: As recruiters scan LinkedIn for candidates, they may identify you as a top contender. However, they don't know whether you are genuinely interested in a new opportunity, which can be a waste of their time. If you are not actively seeking a new job but are open to possibilities and opportunities, take a look at LinkedIn's “Career Interests” feature, highlighted under the “Jobs” search function. Here you may fill out information about your job position preferences, titles, industry interests, and desirable geographic region. Completing this will satisfy recruiters and hiring managers as to whether you are genuinely open to new horizons. At the same time, you can rest easy that your professional intentions will not be exposed to the entire universe.
Linked In Connections: Contacts and More Contacts
LinkedIn “connections” inject fuel into your profile by helping you build a dynamic professional network. Remember: Potential career opportunities grow exponentially as your network spreads further and further. After all, how often you have heard stories about someone who found a new job, landed a promotion, or secured work on a special project because they knew an important contact at the organization? Think of LinkedIn as the engine that can power and drive these connections.
A robust list of contacts also shows the professional world that you exist and are committed to building a flourishing network of achievers. The last thing you want to do is send a message to colleagues and potential employers that you fear social media and are half-hearted about engaging with other professionals. You don't need to have 500-plus contacts to feel popular, but a base of fifty to 125 connections is a realistic starting point. It is certainly okay to maintain some privacy in your life, but don't live in a cocoon on LinkedIn. As you meet colleagues and senior leaders at conferences, training sessions, and even in the social stream of life, follow up by sending them a friendly invitation to “connect” on LinkedIn.
Linkedln Identity: Your Essential Online Presence
Not all employers use LinkedIn to formally recruit candidates. But they are likely to Google you to check out your online presence. Since LinkedIn has a high SEO ranking, your profile will be one of the first links that appears on any Google search. Therefore, whether they are regular LinkedIn users or not, the vast majority of employers will at least peek at your profile.
Recently, I served as board member on a search committee of a small nonprofit organization that was looking for a new executive director. The committee posted the open position on LinkedIn and also on local nonprofit websites. Strong candidates came forth quickly and eagerly. First, we Googled the top candidates to assess the quality and content of their professional profile on LinkedIn. The few that neglected to establish a LinkedIn profile, we quickly eliminated. The committee unanimously felt that any viable candidate would recognize the power of LinkedIn to promote an organization, reach out to colleagues, support professional development, and provide a hiring tool to find the most competent staff. Most important, such a candidate would know how to maximize the potential of this essential tool to achieve all of those things for our organization.
People still find jobs, make network connections, and advance their careers without the direct benefit of LinkedIn. But in cyberspace, if you are not on LinkedIn, you don't exist on a professional level.
Do I have to tweet, too? With 328 million monthly users, Twitter is a social networking tool that informs readers of your actions and opinions at any given moment.2 I can hear your introverted voice saying, “Whoa! I never signed up to have my life on the front page.” Relax. Tweeting allows you to choose when and to whom you want to tweet, so you can easily safeguard your need for privacy.
What differentiates Twitter from LinkedIn is that it's an open network. On LinkedIn, you and your contact agree to be connected. However, if someone follows you on Twitter, you don't have to follow him or her back. You can read tweets by senior leaders, experts, or authors in your field without being officially connected to them. So why not be bold and tweet a question to an industry expert or show interest by responding to a colleague's tweet?
Twitter in Real Time
If you are new to this social network, you can start out by following thought leaders or colleagues. Then you can begin sending tweets (short blurbs of 280 characters) that demonstrate your industry knowledge and insight, or pose questions that spark a tweet response. If you are at a conference listening to a keynote speech by a well-respected leader in your field, you can tweet and share any inspiration or wisdom you have gained in real time. One of the more popular career-driven ways to use this popular network is to tweet an industry-related article or blog post, or provoke a discussion. Twitter automatically shortens these links to allow the URL to fit into your tweet.
Hashtags
A unique feature of Twitter is the use of hashtags. Using the hashtag symbol # before a word or short phrase in your tweet will transform it into a searchable link. For example, if you are looking for opportunities in New York, you might use #jobs #NYC in your tweet to find job postings in the area or join a conversation on a particular topic. You can also click on a hashtag like #careeradvice to see other twitter posts on this topic. Alternatively, you might use hashtags to find thought leaders in your field or jump into an industry conversation. In a word, hashtags help clarify your tweet and organize content on your Twitter thread.
The Twitter Profile
Creating a profile on Twitter is a lot less cumbersome than on LinkedIn. Just go to Twitter.com, fill out the following information, and you are set to go.
Name and handle (@name): This is your identifying information. A good rule of thumb for your Twitter handle is to use your full name (@GretaNavarro). If you are on Twitter to promote a product or service, use the business name for your Twitter handle (@CapTech). Your business or full name will appear above your handle.
Photo: If you are satisfied with your LinkedIn photo, go ahead and use it for Twitter, too. Keep in mind that every tweet you send will include your photo, so make sure it is a flattering image. If you are promoting a business, you can also upload your logo. Always remember that your photo or logo is representing your brand.
Header background: Think of this as a billboard for your bio, so introduce a creative touch with a well-chosen photo or eye-appealing graphic that marries well with your brand. If your taste veers toward the conservative, simply select a bright color for your background. You might also check out sites like Snappa.com or Canva.com that offer free designs you can customize.
Bio: The Twitter bio resembles a short advertisement. You have 160 characters to encapsulate what it is that makes you unique and would create a following among other tweeters. It's optional, but you can personalize the bio by adding some treasured interests and career highlights. This is also the place to include a link to your website or blog.
Check out the following three examples to get an idea of an appealing Twitter bio.
Media strategist; consults on content, development, storytelling, and audience strategies; frequent speaker, panelist, and Northwestern grad program adjunct
This bio quickly spells out the tweeter's main role as media strategist and areas of expertise.
Customer [email protected] I'm passionate about technology, healthy living & learning new things.
This example mixes professional background with some of the tweeter's compelling interests.
Fashion designer and fiber artist whose passion is one-of-a-kind, show-stopping coats for men and women.
Even artists tweet. After reading this short bio, don't you want to buy a coat?
If you are struggling with how to properly articulate who you are in your bio, go back to your resume headline and summary or LinkedIn summary for inspiration. Let's take a look at how one client transformed his resume headline and summary into a Twitter bio
Research Sociologist, Senior Social Science, and Health Policy Researcher
Resume Summary
Expert in data analysis, research, and translating findings into popular, professional, and policy-oriented forums. Skillful at using administrative datasets as a basis for identifying and improving outcomes for services to homeless and related populations.
Twitter Bio
Homelessness researcher @HSS.gov; consultant; recovering professor. PhD sociology alum @SociologyAtHarvard, policy wonk, and urban guy.
The resume summary is a more formal description of experience that includes some salient keywords such as “data analysis,” “data sets,” “outcomes,” and “homelessness.” The Twitter bio, on the other hand, provides a snapshot of the subject's professional and educational background, but incorporates more informal terms such as “policy wonk” and “urban guy.”
To Tweet or Not to Tweet
To better determine whether Twitter would be a useful tool for you, let's review some of its benefits. First—and this is a plus for the job hunter—recruiters often post a number of jobs on Twitter before they are officially advertised on the boards. Second, it is easy to set up a Twitter account, assuring that you receive job postings in real time. Third, if you are a business owner, Twitter is a proven and powerful machine for generating new business leads. If your strategy is just to stay on top of your game, Twitter will be a great friend in introducing you to colleagues and leaders in your field.
If you are still in a twitter about using Twitter, hashtag your field to see who is actively tweeting, and take note of which topics are being discussed. For example, if you are a biomedical engineer, search under #biomedica-lengineer, and you will find two professional societies and Twitter posts that include topics on innovation, current research, job opportunities, and upcoming conferences. If you find the subjects of these posts relevant and interesting, this would be a good indication that Twitter will be a good addition to your social media toolbox.
If you have any doubt that Facebook is the overwhelming favorite social media site in the world, consider the fact that it has close to two billion active users a month.3 This places Facebook at the top of the standings in the social networking major leagues.
Facebook users connect with family and friends to share life vignettes and photos, exchange stories, tell tales of thousands of words with videos, and give their opinion on political and social issues. Because Facebook is so powerful, it is advisable to carefully review your profile to determine your comfort level. You will be on display to professional contacts and employers, but you maintain control over how much of your Facebook page they see. By adjusting the privacy setting for your account (click “Settings” under the drop-down menu arrow at the top right of the screen; then click “Privacy” to see your options), you can easily censure the information that “non-friends” are able to view.
For business owners that need to build their brand and eagerly seek avenues to promote their products and services, Facebook is a friend indeed. A Facebook business page allows you to post events and company advertisements, while offering a feature that enables users to buy products directly on the page. It also facilitates managing customer or client interaction as they hit the like button or engage in message exchanges.
Facebook's job boards have also become a wildly popular haunt for job hunters. Indeed (general), USAJobs (government), and coolworks (opportunities to work in resort areas), along with CareerCast and Flexjobs, are among the top job boards on Facebook. CareerCast is loaded with career and job search resources, ranking the best and worst jobs, while posting jobs in a variety of fields and industries. If you are a gig worker or interested in pursuing part-time opportunities, Flexjobs is a Facebook job board with opportunities for telecommuting, freelance, part-time, and flex schedules in many different fields.
The Facebook Profile
The process of opening a Facebook account is not much different from that of Twitter or LinkedIn. Go to Facebook.com, confirm your email, and fill out a quick form. Once you are registered, you will be led through a series of easy steps to add a personal touch to your page. Optional inclusions are educational institutions attended and employer's company name.
Profile photo: Despite the name “Facebook,” a headshot is not required, so it's fine to opt for a more casual photo. If you prefer, choose a relaxed image that includes family or pets or presents you in a favorite setting. Using the privacy settings, you decide who sees your posts and other personal information on the page; your photo, however, is visible to all, so make sure it expresses your personality and represents who you truly are. Business owners also have the option of using their company logo, an impactful and elegant strategy in lieu of the more personal photo.
Cover photo: Similar to Twitter's header background, the cover photo on Facebook is larger and appears above your profile photo. Be selective and choose a graphic or photo that blends well with your profile photo and enhances the presentation of your personality.
Facebook Friends: Your Search for Connections
Once you settle on an appealing visual design, dive in and invite friends. Facebook will assist you by searching your email addresses; you can choose the friends you want to connect with and gently ignore those you do not. You can also find friends by clicking on your high school or college, or colleagues at your current or past employer under your profile. You might also enjoy clicking on your hometown or joining a regional network.
Although your main goal on Facebook may be primarily social, don't discount the possibility that your friends could have valuable professional connections. Like many mottos, the old saying “It's who you know” is true and may lead to a new professional opportunity or job.
Additional Social Media
As if LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook didn't give you enough social media options, you can consider a few more depending on your particular career or personal interests.
Imagine looking at a bulletin board at a community center or health club where thumbtacks attach a combination of photos, announcements, and notes. Pinterest is a highly visual platform with approximately 175 million members. Instead of thumbtacks, you pin images virtually to your Pinterest board.4 It works especially well for photographers, graphic artists, and a variety of artisans who pin their creations for the world to see.
Pinterest is also ideal for marketing a product or business. Pinning colorful photos with graphics that display your products and services can give them special appeal and will increase the chance of attracting potential clients and customers. With Pinterest, you can design a board with lively images that make it pop. Then, you can use colorful tones and shades that showcase your product or services with panache and offer a glimpse into the company culture. Another dynamic feature is the “Call to Action” function. An excellent means of potential customer expansion, this feature offers your audience options such as Free Trial, Sign Up (newsletter), or Join Now. In sum, Pinterest recommends that your company board be “helpful, beautiful, and actionable,” and with the help of their tools, you can achieve this goal.
You can also have fun designing a uniquely stylized resume or special work project, experimenting with colors and graphics as you pin away. Creating boards that show your previous places of work or organizations that have benefitted from your volunteer spirit can catch the employer's eye—at once sparking interest and providing information that connects with their needs. Although Pinterest is not the be-all and end-all for social media recruiting, it can be useful when you link it to your LinkedIn profile. When prospective employers scan your profile and open your Pinterest board, they view a person of talent, creativity, and experience.
If you are looking for a new opportunity, Pinterest hosts its own job boards like CareerBliss (for general advice and job search) and 405 Club (the self-named “Official Unemployed Pinboard”).
Blogs
Introverts tend to focus on thoughts and ideas before ever putting them into writing (or “putting pen to paper,” as we said in pre-digital days). There is no need to go against nature and compete with the more talkative and action-oriented extroverts. Instead, take advantage of your observations and well-plumbed thoughts by writing an industry-focused blog sprinkled with your innate talent and knowledge. Remaining your genuine self in your familiar, comfortable space, you can reach out to a large audience and impact social media with a gentle bang.
There are many reasons to start a blog. Are you an expert in your field? Do you want to reach multiple channels to help build your business? Is there a professional topic you are passionate about? Blogging can boost your visibility, increasing the chances that your knowledge, products, or services will be right at eye level on the shelf. An ideal medium for introverts, a blog can give you a powerful voice without speaking a word.
Regardless of where you are in your job search, the following steps can help you get started.
Establish your audience: When starting a blog, step one is determining your target audience. Next, speak with colleagues or survey current customers to pinpoint issues, challenges, and trends that seem universal. This will help you identify topics of interest for potential articles—subjects that will resonate with your readers.
Choose a name: Select a name for your blog that connects with your topic so readers will quickly identify the subject of your blog. Search online to be sure that you are not duplicating an already existing title, and then pick one that fits. If you are a business or promoting a product, simply use the company name to draw clients and customers. Many companies and organizations have linked their blogs to their websites.
Get online: To get your blog up and running, select a hosting and software package. Wordpress is user friendly and one of the most popular platforms. Some others include: Blogger.com, Typepad.com, and Google+. You might also ask friends and colleagues who blog for recommendations on hosting packages.
Create a striking design: Your goal is to create a blog that is visually attractive and has presence. Certainly, keep your blog's topic in mind, but a simple design usually works best; for interest, throw in a splash of color or a graphic. Consider an illustrative look that uses photographs; for a product or business, keep in mind that “a picture is worth a thousand words.” An acquaintance of mine in the travel business recently launched a travel blog to attract customers and advertisers to her site. Entitled “The Artful Passport,” the blog features inspiring photographs from a variety of European destinations. Due to the elegant nature of the blog's title and images, you are whisked away on a journey the moment you start reading.
Post an article that speaks to your audience: As you craft your blog articles, consider the desired demographics, and be mindful of what you can offer your readers to spark interest and provoke a response. And make sure that you always use terminology familiar to your audience.
Six Benefits to Blogging
- It solves problems: Clients, customers, and readers in general are always looking for new solutions or seeking practical ways to problem-solve. When you offer advice or helpful suggestions on your blog, people begin to see you as an expert. If your primary goal is to build business, demonstrate how your product or service solves a typical problem or improves a customer's situation. Achieving this will potentially draw increasing numbers of clients and customers to your blog and website.
- It builds community: If you sell a product, blogging provides a unique means of connecting with your audience. When you post blog articles, you offer readers a chance to comment. And as you answer questions and offer suggestions, you establish yourself as the go-to authority on your topic. As your blog community evolves and grows, their comments can represent opinions from a broad range of backgrounds, providing a valuable opportunity to interact directly with a developing customer base. This vital give-and-take between you and your readers can mature into important online relationships.
- It drives traffic: A successful blog consistently generates new readers and spreads fertile seeds that foster growth in your professional endeavors or the life of your business. This menu of options can help funnel traffic to your blog:
Share blog articles on your Twitter stream, LinkedIn, and other relevant social media. Send email blasts of blog posts to current and potential customers, clients, or to related professional groups. Send blog posts to LinkedIn groups or other online professional networks. Include a link to your blog in your email signature. Add a link to your website. Guest post on another professional or business blog. Be courageous and send a blog post to an influential leader in your industry.
- It provides valuable data: A natural part of the blog experience is to share personal information. As readers discover and respond to your blog, they often bring up subjects regarding their interests, concerns, and need. They may also pose questions, or request your insight and suggestions. When you notice multitudes responding to a particular post, you can draw the conclusion that you hit upon a common problem or universal interest. Paying attention to such cues from your readers can guide you in exploring new content. This kind of reflective listening through writing will keep your readers engaged and attract others who share this popular interest. If you are blogging for your business, information that stimulates thought and conjures up inventive ideas can lead to generating new leads while retaining existing customers and clients.
- It maintains audience connection: Sustaining the attention and interest of your audience is critical, and you can go a long way toward achieving this if you offer or suggest noteworthy possibilities. The key is to keep them connected by appealing to their needs. Include a clear call to action that makes it easy for readers to subscribe to your blog, ensuring that they receive all your blog articles as soon as they are posted. Everyone likes the word “free.” So to nourish your readers you can offer free materials like newsletters in addition to having customers or clients subscribe to your blog.
- It offers potential for recognition or discovery: When you blog, you spread an inviting net. You might catch the eye of a potential employer impressed by one of your posts they happened to see on Twitter or LinkedIn. (The hope is that they will keep you in mind for future ventures.) If you are an entrepreneur, your blog posts might reel in partners or investors. And because of your expert experience and wisdom reflected in your blog, you may even capture the attention of journalists looking to interview you for newspaper or TV.
Blogging offers introverts a comfortable opportunity to be recognized for mastery in their field or business. And although your blog might not make you a star, some bloggers have been offered book deals based on blogs that contain noteworthy content and have developed strong followings. In the end, if you publish frequently and become a good online citizen by commenting on other people's blogs, you have achieved success.
LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook, Oh My!
Your head may spin like a whirling dervish attempting to work out which vehicle of social media will yield optimal results for your career development. Although you want to achieve the most from social media, the introvert in you may struggle with how much personal exposure is really necessary. With the ever-changing tides of technology, and the ebb and flow of the job market, online communication platforms continue to grow at breakneck speed. But you and your career cannot afford to be cowed by the impending specter of social media, and there's truly no reason to hold back. LinkedIn and Twitter will help you share ideas, experience, and skills with other talented professionals, whereas Facebook offers resources for today's job hunter as well.
It's easy to become overwhelmed when juggling more than one social media site. Downloadable applications like Tweetdeck and Sobees offer a dashboard that organizes your social media by keeping the posts from all the sites in one location. These applications allow you to create and send a message to LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter all at the same time. Dashboards can improve your social media life, and most are completely free.
Questions to Shape Your Strategy
Understanding your professional goals is essential to developing your social media strategy. So before you dive in online, ask yourself the following questions. Thinking about these questions in advance will help avoid confusion among the various social media platforms and focus your efforts in the direction you need most; once you've clarified your objectives, you can map out the most effective strategy to achieve them.
What are your professional or business goals? Are you looking to expand your network, seek partnerships, or promote your business? Or are you looking for a new position?
Who is your target audience? Are you trying to reach employers, colleagues, customers, or clients?
What makes you an expert in your field? Are you someone who possesses special skills and talents? How can social media platforms help you demonstrate these talents and increase your visibility?
Who are the leaders in your field? Would connecting with them on social media help you gain mastery in your career or build your business? Are you hoping to learn about new trends or innovation in your field from experts in your industry?
How do you measure meeting your objectives? By the number of readers/customers and the nature of their responses? Or obtaining new business leads? Perhaps getting contacted by recruiters or hiring managers for new opportunities?
Set Realistic Goals
Social media requires time and commitment, so give it a road test to see which sites offer the best route to your professional goals without eating up all your extra time. You may want to create a social media schedule, or use a chart to map out how frequently you read and send out posts, work on expanding your network, and read articles on current and future industry trends. A variety of free apps can help you design your social media schedule, such as Google Calendar, Basecamp, and Wunderlist.
As a final thought for this chapter, keep in mind that social media can be addictive. Maintaining an active presence on social media is important, but remember not to compromise a healthy work-life balance.