As Millennials, most of us are social media savvy. From Facebook to Snapchat, we post, tweet, share, and like content posted on these popular websites. We also use social media to keep in touch with friends and family. However, most of us do not utilize social media to help us professionally. Whether jump starting your career, learning a new skill, or networking with the professional world, you might want to use social media and take your usage more seriously. Here are some tips to use social media to your advantage:
Get Noticed in a Positive Way
Social media is a great tool to put you out in the internet-sphere in a positive manner. Do not post anything that could be offensive such as middle figure photos, cyber bullying, etc. Once you put out content on social media, it’s nearly impossible to erase it. Put up content that is positive and boosts your reputation as a person with character.
Market Yourself, Show Your Expertise
Social media allows you the opportunity to show your strengths, interests, and aspirations online. Post articles on Twitter to show your followers relevant information in your niche. Create a LinkedIn profile to network with different professionals around the world. This could provide you a new business insight towards social media. Post videos, pictures and content on Facebook and LinkedIn to show your accomplishments (employers will love that!). Start a blog, create a YouTube channel, create a Facebook community, etc. Find ways to express yourself and skills and do not think twice about it.
Use the Internet to Gain and Improve Skills
Some people are visual learners. If you are one of those people, YouTube is a great platform to learn about new things or brush up on skills you’ve already acquired. Learn to cook, fix a flat, or make your own makeup products. The world is your oyster and YouTube can be the pearl of knowledge that can help increase your intellect.
Don’t Live Under a Rock – Stay Informed
Every second, on average, around 6,000 tweets are tweeted on Twitter, which corresponds to over 350,000 tweets sent per minute, 500 million tweets per day and around 200 billion tweets per year. That’s a lot of information; however, that’s not the tip of the iceberg. Information overload can become overwhelming. Don’t panic! Use your preferred social media platforms and follow your favorite news outlets. If you love politics, you can follow MSN or CNBC. Want to keep up with Kardashians and other celebrities? You can check out E! News or Pop Sugar. Whatever your interests lie, staying connected with what’s going on is important. It can help you engage in conversations and keep you in the loop as you talk to coworkers or network.
Surround Yourself with Positivity
Staying motivated can be one of the toughest things to do as a professional. When things don’t go your way or plans don’t pan out as you would’ve liked them to in your career, it is easy to become discouraged. There pages on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and others that solely provides positive motivational quotes. Kind words can go a long way and may help you change your viewpoint on certain situations that you are currently facing. Subscribe to pages that keep you happy and excited about the work you do and what you are going to accomplish professionally.
Kale Fisher is from Cincinnati, Ohio. She has her bachelor’s degree in Mass Communications and Journalism from Kentucky State University. She has been working for Education at Work for over a year and is currently a marketing coordinator intern. In her spare time, she likes to skate, write, shop, and hang out with her friends.