Expanding Your Social Engagement For Career Purposes
ningcontentBehind every successful person stands his social capital i.e. people who had catapulted him to success, people whom he had helped before and whose trust and support he had earned. The stronger your social relationships are and the more people you know – the more opportunities open in front of you, especially when it comes to job search. It is well known that the best job openings are not posted and advertized so it becomes crucially important to network and maximize your social relationships. Read our tips below to get to know how to do it.
How to maximize your social relationships online
Using the right tools and applications on LinkedIn can help you create and grow your professional contact base, market your business and show your competency. There are 7 steps to benefit from LinkedIn:
1. Upload a photo to be easily recognized by users and to add a personal touch to your profile.
2. Complete the entire profile to provide all your professional information.
3. Use applications to share ideas and expertise: Box.net Files for sharing files, SlideShare Presentations for uploading PowerPoint presentations. Applications can give additional subjects for communicating.
4. Grow your network. Many people on LinkedIn communicate with professionals who are in their network. To expand your network, ask your contacts to introduce you to people in their network. When you have a common connection it becomes much easier to make a new contact.
5. Collect recommendations which are crucially important for your brand as they give insight into your skill and experience. You can start collecting recommendations by recommending others. Also don’t hesitate to ask colleagues, employees, customers and clients who know your professional skills.
6. Add personality to your profile by sharing status updates about the project you’re currently working on or by placing recent blog posts or tweets. You can also utilize Amazon Reading List application to share your book preferences and to create additional possibilities for communication.
7. Keep in touch with your network and make sure your responds contain up-to-date and relevant information.
Also you can make Twitter help you grow your network. When twittering, try to engage your followers with something interesting rather than simply update them with the routine details of your life.
How to maximize your social relationships offline
The Web isn’t the only place for networking. Every day when you go to work, to the gym, to the party, to your hairdresser there are lots of people around you who can help you grow your network. You should only know the effective ways how to do it. Here are top 10 tips.
1. Be open and frank. When people feel you’re insincere they won’t ever contact you. To make it easier for others to get to know you share your experience and put your individuality into everything you say.
2. Be a good listener. It’s crucially important to listen to people’s problems and sympathize with them – that will earn people’s trust. Try to listen with your heart and be ready to help.
3. Laugh. Laughing is a golden key that opens iron locks of people’s hearts. Laugh as much as you can, become easily engaged by friends and strangers, enjoy meeting new people.
4. Be yourself. Trying to amuse others, you might forget yourself and allow people to push you over. If you show that you’re worthy of respect and affection, people will flock to you.
5. Smile. When you smile it makes people feel comfortable about themselves. According to Scott Ginsberg smile when introduced to others, smile when you say goodbye to someone, smile when you answer the phone.
6. Be approachable. We live in a fear-based culture so that people need to be informed that it’s OK to communicate. Be open, greet others, be ready to help, address both minor and serious problems of people who come to you.
7. Be confident. Maintain the confidence to talk to high level professionals and admit when you don’t know or you’re wrong.
8. Stay calm. Listen to other people’s ideas and viewpoints even if you don’t agree with them.
9. Keep in touch. Technology today with its social networks and mobiles can help you stay in touch 24/7/365.
10. Do things that “aren’t your job” if it makes people comfortable. Remember you get what you give.
Expand your social relationships and turn yourself into a happier and more successful person. Good luck!
Article by Resume Builder
Courtesy of the Recruiting Blogswap, a content exchange service sponsored by CollegeRecruiter.com, a leading site for college students looking for internships and recent graduates seeking entry-level jobs and other career opportunities, and posted on MN Headhunter.
