Social Media for Placement Networking: Before, During and After This presentation shares tips for making the most of social media for professional networking to prepare for placement, during a placement and directly afterwards. Sue Beckingham presents tutor tips and Dalian Terry his experience as a student currently on placement.

1. Social Media for Placement Networking:
Before, During and After
Dalian Terry | @Dal_T
Placement Student
Sheffield Hallam Uni
Sue Beckingham | @suebecks
Educational Developer
Sheffield Hallam Uni

2. The Tutor Perspective

3. BEFORE
DURING
AFTER
TUTOR TIPS
 Have a public LinkedIn profile
First impressions count. Highlight your
skills, volunteering as well as any jobs.
Ask for recommendations and
endorsements.
 Use social media to research
Search for potential employers offering
placements on LinkedIn and Twitter.
Follow organisations that inspire you and
share their updates
 Join LinkedIn Groups
Find groups related to your professional
interests. Begin by listening and progress
by raising questions or answering those
you can.

4. BEFORE
DURING
AFTER
TUTOR TIPS
 Keep a journal or blog
Reflect on your experiences during your
placement. Note the skills you develop.
This can be kept private.
 Consider creating digital guides
Are there aspects of work others would
value as how to guides using screencasts
and video? These could be added to your
website, e-portfolio or LinkedIn page.
 Join the Company groups
Find out what digital communication tools
are used. Follow the company if they are
present on social media; join Yammer if it
is used.

5. BEFORE
DURING
AFTER
TUTOR TIPS
 Connect with colleagues
Use LinkedIn to make new connections
and ensure your new professional
colleagues know how to contact you after
you have left. Keep your profile updated.
 Seek LinkedIn recommendations
Ask your Manager for a recommendation
on LinkedIn. Send an email of thanks.
 Continue to use social media
professionally
Whatever you share through social media
is building your digital footprint. Use your
online presence to help YOU stand out
from the crowd.

6. The Student on
Placement Perspective

7. My placement
experiences
 Talk and then talk some more
Take ideas related to chosen career path and
talk at conferences across the country. Use
this as a networking opportunity.
 Link physical and virtual
Communicate with peer and professionals on
social media but don’t just bash that “Connect”
button. Get out there and speak with people
i.e. email, face to face, job interviews.
 View your interviewer’s profile
Considering most companies give you the
name of who is interviewing you beforehand,
use this to your advantage and visit their
LinkedIn profile. They will get a notification of
this.

8. My placement
experiences
 Differentiate and polish profile
Don’t just create a LinkedIn profile and list
your skills. Differentiate yourself. Add a
picture, personal projects you’ve done, any
volunteering efforts.
 Use your connections
Use new and existing connections on
Twitter and LinkedIn (ideally professionals)
to help you search for that perfect job.
 Publish your work
Publish or create new projects and put
them out onto social media and your blog.
Whether that is a report on a topic or a
video blog, or a mini-business.
Look for real non-placement
jobs and apply
speculatively. Worked for
me! Just by making it
clear specifically that I am
a student.

9. The BAD
'Open' private social media
Facebook is the bane of most students.
Private life and activities should be kept
accordingly and not out publically in the ether.
Blanket send messages
DO personalise messages to employers if
speculatively applying. Employers like if you
mention any mutual connections you have
and ask insightful questions.
Twitter dilemma
Using Twitter like Facebook where you post
your daily worries and problems could harm
your presence. Industry professionals don’t
want to hear everything about your daily life.
Balance between professional and private.
CC John Atkinson
http://wronghands1.wordpress.com/about/

10. Any questions....

11. Social Media for Placement Networking:
Before, During and After
Sue Beckingham and Dalian Terry
This presentation shares tips for making
the most of social media for professional
networking to prepare for placement,
during a placement and directly afterwards.