With the New Year around the corner, what proactive resolutions can you make to ensure you’re using Social Media to full advantage? Here are 5 resolutions to consider making for 2016 that will help you leverage Social Media personally and professionally:
1) Resolve to become more proactive:
Social media is a great resource for connecting with people, but it is the most powerful when it is used to “amplify” real-world relationships proactively. This year, get in the habit of checking a connection’s profile before a meeting. Get in the habit of recognizing others online for work done offline. And get in the habit of asking a common connection to make a real-world introduction. Social Media is no longer just a passive add-on: it’s a key tool for both communications and engagement.
2) Resolve to separate the personal from the professional
Instead of thinking that Facebook is for personal and LinkedIn is for professional, consider what you actually use these (and other) tools for. Too often, people mistakenly think that spending entertainment time is Social Media professional time. It isn’t.
3) Resolve to diversify your approach to Social Media
Social Media should be used for support and growth, not just job search. In the olden days, this could only come from in-person attendance at industry events and conventions. Today, Social Media has incredibly robust discussion groups, question and answer areas, blogs, and the like. Growing within these communities – gaining support and providing leadership – is a long-term investment in your career. You get the benefit along the way, and a network that will help propel your career far beyond your current job.
4) Resolve to not neglect the real world
While Social Media provides an incredible depth of opportunity – relationships, support, information – it doesn’t replace the strength of real world relationships. Think what can be accomplished pending time, one-on-one, with a key connection at a local coffee shop. Or think of the nuance that can only be seen when you’re face-to-face with your manager (or staff, or prospective client). As you spend more time using Social Media, you can easily squeeze away these real-world interactions – when in fact, these interactions might be the key reason for your success.
5) Resolve to update your profiles
Just like you probably do with your old-style resume, look through all of the Social Media profiles that you have, and do a quick update. Even those profiles that you rarely use (MySpace, anyone?) are indexed by Google and thus available.
