Guideline for Professionals to benefit from Social Media

Social media are computer mediated technologies that encourages sharing of ideas, information, career interests and other forms of information through virtual groups and networks (4). Social media differs from its counterparts such as paper based media (magazines and newspapers) and traditional electronic media (TV and radio) in many ways. One major difference between social media and traditional electronic media is “dialogues”. Some of the major social media websites that use dialogues as the primary communications are Facebook, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Twitter, Instagram, Reddit, Snapchat, WhatsApp, You Tube, etc. In the last few years there has been a boom in the usage of social media websites both for personal as well as professional networking. Social media websites such as Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn are valuable resources to expand your networks outside your friends and colleagues. Similarly, various industries and companies are also using social media to market their products and services by creating personalized Facebook/twitter/LinkedIn pages.

 

Nowadays, most companies are very careful in using social networking sites.

When it comes to using social media, many companies are creating their own

guidelines and policies To protect their brand image. As an employee or a job seeker, it is your responsibility to know the do’s and don’ts of utilizing social media as a means of communication. Following are the social media guidelines that every professional should consider

  1. Create an Employer-Friendly Profile

When creating a social media profile, stop thinking so much of what your friends should think when they see it. Instead, think more of what employers might think when they see it. Your friends will always be there regardless of your profile, but employers may get rid of you if you don’t appear to be professional to them. Nowadays, employers, job recruiters, and company managers search for the social media profiles of their job candidates before they hire or shortlist them. An employer-friendly profile consists of:

  • Show your professional details, skills, educational background, and job experience
  • Avoid any vulgarity and profanity in your posts
  1. Remove Negative Content

 

Let’s just assume that you want to keep your social media profile clean. You avoid any vulgar and unprofessional comments or reviews. However, some negative comments and/or reviews as done by social media trolls cave their way to your social media page and affects your online presence. Employers, however, don’t have the luxury to investigate whether or not such bad comments came from you or the media trolls. Here is what you should do:

  • Delete those negative comments immediately upon discovering any
  • In the case of Facebook and Google+, you can block profiles coming from trolls
  • Keep the employers from getting any bad impression on you

 

  1. Share Your Skills

 

Use the social media to promote your personal brand. For example, if you are a writer, advertise your blogs articles, write-ups or e-books, if any. If you are a photographer, show your photos and styles through presentations or online forums. Therefore, in your social media posts, you must emphasize a niche, so that the employers can easily discover the areas you are good at.

 

Sources:

https://www.workitdaily.com/social-media-guidelines-young-professionals/

http://mashable.com/2010/07/02/professional-social-networking/#i5bU2S5opSqf

https://econsultancy.com/blog/5049-16-social-media-guidelines-used-by-real-companies/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_media

 

 

Dress for Success: Creating a Personal Brand for self

Transitioning from active duty to civilian life can be challenging. Some veterans have a hard time readjusting to civilian life while others make the transition with little or no difficulty. Moreover, entering civilian workforce comes with a myriad of challenges. One such challenge you will find yourself in while re-entering the civilian workplace is making sure you dress appropriately.

Does this sound familiar: A person goes in for a job interview. His credentials are amazing. On paper, he would be a perfect fit forthe company. Unfortunately, the way he is dressed is sending another message entirely. Underdress, and you will give the impression of being sloppy, careless, or indifferent. Overdress, and you may suggest to people that you are too reserved to be a true team player. How does one navigate these pitfalls to find something that works?

Creating Attire That Properly Reflects Your Personal Brand

When you are applying for a job, or even if you are an entrepreneur who is trying to secure financing for your startup, people are looking for someone who can project an aura of success (2). Success can be defined or actualized in a variety of different ways. One such way is to choose an apparel that reflects not only your personality but also your attitude towards the job and company you wish to apply to. Workplace attire not only establishes your personal brand as you want it to be seen, but also a degree of success defined by the company you are applying to or working for (1). Some companies want their employees to be in a more professional attire such as a suit and tie while some businesses take on a more casual approach to wardrobe. Others still want you to be flexible enough to be able to change your wardrobe to reflect whatever is going on. Therefore, considering the company’s culture and environment while choosing your wardrobe is very important.

However, there are some businesses that make very, very specific demands on what they expect employees to wear on a day to day basis. So, when you apply for a job, make sure you follow the following:

· Thoroughly research about the company, its culture and its people

· Understand what is expected of you

· Gather information that can directly help you

Once you get to the point of a face to face interview, use this knowledge and your research to dress in a way that accomplishes two things:

· Shows the world at large what your personal brand is all about

· Shows the specific company in question that you are capable of not only dressing for their definition of success, but that you are also capable of dressing as someone who wants to be part of the team

Remember:

The core of a personal brand is telling everyone who you are, as well as what you stand for (3).

(1) http://www.yourcareerintel.com/grow-your-career/dress-for-success-what-your-attire-says-about-your-personal-brand/

(2) http://www.blackenterprise.com/small-business/understanding-what-attire-says-your-personal-brand/

(3) https://styleblueprint.com/atlanta/everyday/clothes-reflect-personal-brand/