7 tactics to boost your career with social media

Since 70% of employers use social networks to identify and select potential candidates, most of us have already come to the conclusion that social networks are vital for our career growth. Although we are aware that our presence on social networks can help or hinder our career prospects, figuring out what and what to share in order to find the right balance between personal and professional can still be a little confusing.

Researchers at George Washington University recently conducted a course on social networks and professionalism and found that most first-year medical students who took the course changed their online behavior after learning about the impact of social networks on their professional identity.

Leading researcher and deputy director for education, information, and technology services, Alexandra Gomez, notes that many of the participants did not think about the role of social media in their professional life.

"Many students noted that they changed their behavior after the session," she says. "For example, some have described tightening their privacy settings or viewing and deleting content. Others said that the session made them more aware of how others might perceive different types of messages or images, and the need to keep track of what they write about them on the Internet."

Of course, using social networks for career development is the same thing that you share than what you don’t share. In addition to reviewing the content of their personal posts, Professor Gomez says many students do not know how to use social media to create a professional presence, for example by following healthcare providers on Twitter, blogging on healthcare topics, or participating in online communities for healthcare professionals.

So, if you are a student or a working specialist and want to take advantage of social networks while avoiding their potential disadvantages, here are some tactics for using social networks in developing your career.

• Start by auditing social media

If you have not already done so, your first step towards the successful use of social networks for career growth is to conduct an audit on social networks. This will give you a better idea of what other people see when they search for you on the Internet and help you manage your professional reputation on the Internet.

Start by looking for influential people in your niche to find out what information and photos they share and how they attract their audience or emphasize their skills.

Once you have an idea of what works, you can find your own profiles on social networks and see if there is room for improvement. Is there any information that you would not like to see as a colleague or client? Are there certain skills or strengths that you could highlight better to stand out?

• Choose the right social networking platform

Once you have decided on what your strategy in the field of social networks will be, you can better choose the right platforms for social networks. For example, Facebook and Instagram are more individual, and Twitter and LinkedIn are more professional.

You should also pay attention to where other professionals in your industry or niche usually hang out. If most of your clients or potential employers mainly use Twitter, and you hope to get in touch with them, you will be better off developing a presence on Twitter than on Facebook.

• Use a social network to showcase your expertise

The growth of the Internet and social networks has allowed job seekers and employers to easily look for prospects in social networks. To take advantage of this trend, you will need to use accessible social networks to demonstrate your skills and talent. Maybe someone is looking for the perfect match for your skills! Using a blog or website can be a significant advantage in highlighting your gifts and skills and reaching a wide audience.

• Build a connection with like-minded people

Social networks are full of people with various skills, knowledge, and experience in various fields. Interaction with the right people can guarantee both personal and career growth. Make sure that you establish new connections in your area of specialization, communicate with them and take part in fruitful discussions. Nobody wants to help you for nothing. It is generally recommended that you offer value for any connections you make so that another member can see your dignity.

• Use the social network for informal learning

In addition to creating networks and creating a personal brand, social networks are an excellent tool for developing professional skills and gaining industry knowledge. One of the reasons it is such a valuable tool is that it is available wherever you are and allows you to integrate learning into your daily life, whether you are doing your homework, going to work or have free time at the weekend.

For example, if there is a specific topic that you want to learn more about, you can find the appropriate hashtags to find new resources and opinion leaders to follow. You can also use it to share your thoughts, ask specific questions and receive feedback from others in your industry.

• Curate content focused on your skills and expertise

Employers are very interested in what you can do to organize them. To take advantage of this, you can oversee content that focuses on your knowledge and skills. Use various social networks such as Twitter and Pinterest to share such curated content. However, it can be difficult to get the necessary support and attention from social networks if your content is of poor quality. It is advisable that you express your experience in this area well - this is the only way to be sure of the many career opportunities.

• Set your own goals

Whether you intend to use social networks for communication or learn more about a specific topic, you will get more benefit from this if you set yourself some goals. Businesses do this all the time, and there is no reason why you should not do the same for use on social networks.

Think about what you hope to achieve or get in the time you spend on social networks, and then break this basic goal into little things that you can work on every day. For example, if you want to learn more about industry skills, come up with small tasks that you can solve every day, such as launching or answering a conversation on Twitter, or introducing yourself to a new professional development application such as LinkedIn, iTunes U or TED.

Finally, remember that developing a professional online presence is a long process, not that you can cross your list in one day. So, take your time to find out what works best for you, and do not rush.

Opportunities are running around you. You just need to recognize the right choice and grab the opportunity for career success. To know what is your suitable career option go for career counseling and explore your hidden talent.

I'm Jenny Kay, a psychologist and career expert associated with career aptitude test. I like helping high school students with their right career options through online aptitude test