Social Networking

I'm sure you have all heard of some of these media networks. Sites like Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter. However, have you considered these to become an intricate part of your career development?

The first thing to identify is what kind of tool are these sites providing me? Is this a social network, a professional network, or a quick note overview?

In a nutshell, "Facebook is a social networking service that lets you connect with friends, co-workers, and others who share similar interests or who have common backgrounds." Facebook is a social networking tool, however, you can still leverage this site in your career goals. First, Facebook is a wonderful way to network with people that have the same hobbies or non-profit affiliations. If you are actively involved in a non-profit, Facebook is a perfect way to reach several members or followers quickly and at no cost. If you are using Facebook as a career tool make sure to present yourself professionally, and consider those you 'friend'. Remember that people can view friends of friends through your page, and the images of Margarita Saturdays may come back as a reflection of yourself. There are very good privacy settings that can make you virtually invisable to everyone besides your immediate friends. Check your privacy settings and have a friend tell you how your page is viewed from their end.

Twitter is a quick status update. This is searchable through Google, so watch what you write. This is not the best forum for discussing your disdain for a co-worker or a political debate. As with Facebook, keep it professional. Perhaps, tweeting about a new blog, book, company, or interest can act as leverage towards your goals. Remember the saying, 'If you don't have anything nice to say..' Chris Brogan gives this advice for business tweets. "Share the human side of your company. If you’re bothering to tweet, it means you believe social media has value for human connections. Point us to pictures and other human things."

Lastly, LinkedIn. This is a professional networking tool. Similar to Facebook, but completely focused on professional connections and acheivements. Your 'connections' on LinkedIn may be a coworker, a mentor, an employee, or superior. They could also be 'friends' from Facebook, especially those you are affiliated with in regards to non-profit memberships. The trick with LinkedIn is remembering quality in your networks. Unlike Facebook, where a subscriber will have hundreds of friends, on LinkedIn you may have 25 in your immediate circle. When accepting connections, ask yourself, what value do I provide them? What value do they provide me? Is this connection leveraging my goals? Leo Babauta makes a great point when he said, (on Linkedin) "The best way to network is to help others succeed." Try to find ways to help your connections reach their professional goals, and success will come back around to you.

Visit these sites for easy tutorials on how to use these networking sites!

Facebook:
http://oregonstate.edu/international/atosu/sites/default/files/Facebook_Tips.pdf

Twitter:
http://www.doshdosh.com/ways-you-can-use-twitter/

LinkedIn:
http://learn.linkedin.com/

References:
http://news.cnet.com/newbies-guide-to-facebook/
http://www.chrisbrogan.com/50-ideas-on-using-twitter-for-business/
http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=4878899711100020088&postID=3508379449555936059