The Importance of Social Media

Every so often I am asked to help someone build their LinkedIn profile. Am I an expert? No, but I understand the relevancy of Social Media in our world today and I embrace it. I am on a variety of social media sites, more active on some than others, but I know how they work. I also know I can always learn more about each one. I have friends, mostly older, but some in their 30s, who discount these sites as a waste of time. That is wrong-headed thinking in our fast-forward moving world. Social Media is not going away, get used to it! I don't expect you to join Twitter and have 1.4 million followers. But I do want you to know how to contact an airline via social media to reschedule a cancelled flight when you're sitting at the airport on hold for an hour on their 800 number. You don't need to contact customer service solely via Facebook or Twitter, but you should have the knowledge of how to do it when all else fails. Understand that what you post, snap, share or blog about is out there for the world to see, so use some sense, be prudent, and use different sites for different purposes. For example, I use Facebook for friends and family, LinkedIn is strictly for work and business contacts--and the twain shall never meet. Well, half of that is true: I do have friends and family on LinkedIn, but I won't 'friend' a work colleague on Facebook. Some things are sacred! If you think social media is only for posting cat videos and checking out your old high school boyfriend, you are missing out on the powerful tools these sites provide. If you are looking for a new job, you have to use social media. Found a company you want to work for? Pin it, share it, follow it, like it. You'll learn about its culture, its trends, its future--and if you really want to be a part of it. The majority of companies are going to check you out, too. They may not be looking for your latest paper on biophysics, or how many promotions you've had in the last few years, but based on your posts and shares, they'll be deciding what kind of person you are--and if you fit in with their kind of people. Use your social media footprint to present you to the world. And, by all means, have fun on it, too. I have reconnected with so many friends from high school, I can't imagine life without them now. I know what is going on daily with my cousins who live on the other side of the country. I've found a ton of good recipes that have enabled me to have awesome dinner parties. My life has been enhanced through these connections. I'm grateful for all of them. Don't let the social media parade pass you by. And if you need help building that LinkedIn profile, give me a call!!