Long gone are the days when people had to meet face to face to discuss professional or personal matters. Nowadays, face to face interactions are not so common for many people and this is due to the lack of time, the efficiency of communicating online, and of course, the ease with which we express ourselves when we are not facing someone unknown.
Social media networks were invented to serve people’s needs, but it developed into a money making machine for small and big businesses altogether. We should not forget, however, that this is still a means of communicating and transmitting information. More and more of us are using social media to build a reputation for the labor market. So how should these tools be used in the new age of networking and where should you make your serious voice heard?
Get on the professional networks
LinkedIn is probably the most famous among the networks dedicated to professionals. This is where you can share your resume, you can brag about your vast experience and connect with those working in the same fields. An increasing number of users are recruited here and as a job seeker you can check out the latest vacancies available in the domain that interests you the most.
Your resume is what builds your reputation and invites people to communicate, recommend you or even offer a new career opportunity. Another advantage of these kind of platforms is that there is no risk of bumping into creeps looking for online dating or some other quirky stuff.
Depending on the country, there are other platforms available where you can find professionals just like you, interested in constructive conversations.
Choose a different medium and prove your creativity
Instagram is a great option to keep in touch with the people you know but you haven’t seen in a while, but not only that. Most of you probably think that is unlikely to help you professionally, since the first thing you notice on Instagram are selfies.
However, if you work in a domain where visuals are essential and you want to develop a career on your own you can use this under certain circumstances. If you are an artist, an architect, an interior designer, a web designer or anything that can be better expressed visually, Instagram is the fast method for a dynamic, unconventional resume.
Tweet about your work
In the age where almost every young person wants to be an entrepreneur social media networks seem to be the place where ideas get validated. As a freelancer or even as a job seeker, you probably realized that the dedicated sites are not enough to make your work noticed. Twitter is the networking tool that will make it easier for you to share your work without too much fuss. No fancy images required, no complicated stories to wrap your resume, just a few characters, when well chosen, can get followers to spread the word about your activity.
The determination to follow a certain path in your career should be enough reason to consider all the existing tools. Take advantage of what the internet has to offer and sell your qualities just like a brand does with its products.