This document discusses how to use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Twitter, and blogs to raise your professional profile and network. It provides tips for each platform, including completing your LinkedIn profile, using LinkedIn to find and maintain your professional network, writing blog posts to demonstrate expertise, and using Twitter and Instagram for networking and self-promotion. The key takeaways are how to determine your personal brand, audit your online presence, create value through social media, and network by giving and engaging with others on these platforms.

1. Social media in
your professional
life: Networking &
Profile Raising
Jessica Holloway Swift, Careers Network

2. Outcomes of session
• Understand how LinkedIn can:
– Be used to raise your profile
– Be used for networking
– Profile raising via other blogging
platforms
• Learn how Twitter can
– Be used for networking
– Promote your personal brand
• Raising profile through blogs & posts

3. Personal objectives/
questions

5. My 3 social media identities
• Personal – Facebook/ Snapchat
– Nothing is 100% private
• Public – Twitter/ Instagram
• Professional – LinkedIn

6. What does the next
image mean to
you?

8. What do we mean by
personal brand?

9. Simple tips to your online
brand
• Determine how you want to be
perceived
– Where are you an expert?
– You are not a Mars bar – be authentic &
human
• Audit your digital footprint
– Google yourself
• Create value in your online presence
• Share content with a purpose

10. Networking basics
• Organisation & planning
• Find the right people
• Asking the right questions
• Stay in touch without asking for
anything (at first)
• Be generous – give as much as take
• Be enthusiastic and reliable

11. Social media helps
you find and maintain
you networks and
promote your
personal brand

12. LinkedIn

13. LinkedIn profile tips
Photo – headshot
Headline – not
just job title but
who you are
A bit about
yourself in a
professional
context Media rich files to
make yourself
stand out

14. Networking LinkedIn –
finding your networks
• Reviving old friendships – school,
university, past jobs
• Meeting face to face vs online
• Mutual connections
• Interest groups
• Advanced search/ alumni tool

15. Alumni tool

16. Advanced search tool

17. Networking LinkedIn –
making connections
• Send a personalised
message
• Post on groups
• Ask for an introduction
• Send LinkedIn requests
when you meet people at
events

18. LinkedIn – staying in touch
• Liking, sharing, commenting,
posting on groups
• Endorsements &
recommendations
• Send personalised messages
on work anniversaries/
promotions
• Relationship management
tool – LinkedIn’s best kept
secret

19. LinkedIn Posts
• Raising profile
• Increases profile views
• Demonstrates expertise
• Opens conversations

20. Blogging/ writing
posts

21. Benefits to you
• Professional development
• Expand on areas of interest
• Strengthen your personal brand
• Reflect on topics of interest
• Expands networks
• Opens opportunities

22. Successful blog writing
• Personal experience to demonstrate
key points
• Interesting and relevant topics
• Humour/ empathy to connect with the
reader
• Photographs and images to break up
text
• Links to further resources

23. Different platforms
• LinkedIn
• Wordpress / Blogger
• Tumblr (Twitter/blogging crossover)
• Choose what works for your purpose
& brand

24. Twitter & Instagram

25. Twitter overview
• Short text (140 characters)
• Images get more engagement
• Public space but be authentic
• #hashtags for events/ livetweeting /
shared interests
• Build relationships with
followers/people you follow

26. Instagram overview
• More like a visual Twitter
• Image/ video sharing
social network
• Hashtags to discover
images
• Many people use it for
personal use but can use
professionally

27. Making connections
• Following
• Mentioning
• Using hashtags
• Direct messaging

28. Giving to your networks
• Help with queries
• Like/ retweet interesting tweets
• Sharing interesting articles

29. Risks vs potential
Use common sense

30. Any further questions