Using Social Media To Your Professional Advantage
DETROIT (WWJ) - From Facebook to LinkedIn - what do you do if everybody wants to be your friend?
WWJ's Kathryn Larson reports that social media is playing a major role in networking, but asks how much networking is really safe to do?
Sifting through all the followers; the Hashtags and the Thumbs Up, the Likes: "There are a ton of social media sites out there that you can ... get involved with," said Organik Consulting President Nicole Melosh.
She cautions folks on social media sites not to add just anybody to your professional network.
"LinkedIn is probably best for social networking and building your resume and your persona of who you are as a professional."
If you are actively searching for a job - you need to make the most of the social media at your disposal.
Before the interview, Meloche says, LinkedIn can also be used to find out who you would possibly be working with should you got the job.
"Looking at who looked at your profile does help; if you're looking for a job, knowing who's looked at your profile is important," Melosh said.
"Sometimes accepting a handful of people you don't know can create a ton of problems," she said. "Your network might get bigger but it's not a quality bigger."
The Grand Rapids businesswoman says do your homework -- and make sure you're not adding dangerous connections.
You might soon face spam or random connections, she notes, so spend the time and google the potential connections before you commit to adding to your network.
But if you are trying to reach out and connect - do your best to stand out in a positive, professional way; like sending a note back and thanking the person for accepting your invitation to connect.
"Make sure it's not an empty connection," she added.
