This is a guest post by Jane Finkle.
The tentacles of social media may loom large and threatening to an introvert’s point of view as you fret about overexposure online. However, in today’s competitive market, you must be ready and willing to expose a portion of your private self to join the online ranks of other successful professionals.
Using social media allows introverts to put quality thought into building your brand and establishing an attractive online presence. It gives you time to think before you write, while you sit relaxed at your desk, quietly researching and reviewing company summaries without interruption. More important, this platform lets you reach out and establish valuable professional contacts.
LET THE FORCE OF LINKEDIN BE WITH YOU
LinkedIn is the largest online professional network. Even if joining this massive constellation of contacts pushes you a bit beyond your comfort zone, consider the benefits:
- Increases Visibility: You can find people, and people can find you. This is the beauty of LinkedIn for introverts. Once you have introduced yourself in writing through your profile, a prospective employer or colleague can easily locate you and learn more about your professional background and accomplishments before contacting you about a potential opportunity.
- Builds Networks: The very heart of LinkedIn is the capability it provides to build and organize your professional network. You can easily invite people to join your network, and an invitee just might lead you to a valuable contact. It’s a game of professional dominoes that you can win!
- Provides Up-to-Date Information: You can get continuing updates on what is happening behind the scenes in your field. You can also accept invitations to join groups, as well as research summaries of companies and organizations of particular interest.
- Maximizes Job Postings: More and more employers are flocking to LinkedIn to advertise job openings. Recruiters and hiring managers have made it their quest to pinpoint their champion candidate by scanning hundreds of LinkedIn profiles.
- Enhances Opportunity: LinkedIn can also lead to offers for contract work on special projects, a request for a speaking engagement, or an opportunity to write for blogs or publications.
FIVE WAYS TO TIE A BOW ON YOUR LINKEDIN PROFILE
Relevant Job Descriptions
No need to list every job you have ever held under the Experience category. Include jobs in your profile that match your career goals and describe the most relevant parts of your experience. If you are reentering the work force or recently graduated, it is perfectly acceptable to list internships, volunteer, and leadership activities, as well. Keep in mind your readers’ mad dash to review your profile and make sure your descriptions are short and tight.
Stay on Top of Your Game
Show off to colleagues and recruiters that you are engaged and up-to-date in your field. Post and share industry-related articles or questions that might provoke an energetic discussion. When you discover a colleague has posted an update about a promotion or new job, be sure to congratulate them!
Accomplishments
Some vital add-ons to consider on your profile: certifications, community involvement, volunteer experiences, academic course work, publications, and any honors bestowed and awards presented. Just as these features enhance your resume, they also champion your success on your LinkedIn profile.
Interest Groups
LinkedIn Groups are taking flight as an ever-increasing array of professions and industries have organized them. Imagine these groups as a dynamic constellation of stars in your field from all over the professional constellation. These groups allow you to participate in relevant industry discussions and discover retargets to support your career development.
Multimedia
Make a head-turning splash on your LinkedIn profile by sprinkling in some media. Have you created and presented a slide show or video at work or a professional event? How about that article you wrote for a professional or popular online publication? What about the valuable advice you provided on your blog?
Use multimedia to tell your career story in bold and brazen color.
LINKEDIN CONNECTIONS: CONTACTS AND MORE CONTACTS
LinkedIn “connections” inject fuel into your profile by helping you build a dynamic professional network. Potential career opportunities grow exponentially as your network spreads further and further. Think of LinkedIn as the engine that can power and drive these connections. A robust list of contacts also shows the professional world that you exist and are committed to building a flourishing network of achievers.
.
TWITTER IN REAL TIME
Tweeting allows you to choose when and to whom you want to tweet, so you can easily safeguard your need for privacy.
What differentiates Twitter from LinkedIn is that it’s an open network. On LinkedIn you and your contact agree to be connected. If someone follows you on Twitter, you don’t have to follow him or her back. You can read tweets by senior leaders, experts, or authors in your field without being officially connected to them. So why not be bold and tweet a question to an industry expert, or show interest by responding to a colleague’s tweet?
YOUR OWN BLOG
Introverts by their very nature tend to focus on thoughts and ideas before ever putting them into writing. Take full advantage of your keen observations and well-plumbed thoughts by writing an industry-focused blog finely sprinkled with the gold dust of your talent and knowledge. While remaining your genuine self in a familiar and comfortable space, you can reach out to a large audience and impact social media with a gentle bang.
Social media offers an ideal platform for introverts to comfortably promote their career with confidence sharing ideas, experience, and skills with other talented professionals.
About the Guest Post Author:
Jane Finkle is a career coach, speaker and author with over 25 years of experience helping clients with career assessment and workplace adjustment. Jane served as Associate Director of Career services at the University of Pennsylvania where she created and led the Wharton Career Discovery seminar, and served as liaison to recruiters from major corporations. She has been published in the Huffington Post, Adirondack Life, Talent Development and mindbodygreen. Her newest book is The Introvert’s Ultimate Career Guide. www.janefinkle.com
