Page 32 - CareerBootCamp-Brochure2016

Get involved.
Get ahead.
Social media as your
career secret weapon
Lisa Malone
GM Europe, Procurious − the world’s first
online procurement network
“Take charge of what your profile
says about you and reap the
professional benefits.”
Love this article?
Share with your contacts via Procurious!
Think you don’t need to worry about how you
appear online? Think again!
It’s crucial to take ownership of your online presence by defining
your own brand. Take charge of what your profile says about you
and reap the professional benefits!
Why does my personal brand matter so much?
Online connections are the new business currency. We all prefer
to do business with people that we like and deem trustworthy.
In developing a stellar personal brand and building your network,
you invite connections to get to know you before you’ve even met
them in person.
As a prospective employee you can bet that your interviewer/
future employer will have already scoured your LinkedIn, Twitter
and any other accounts they can access. All of these give an
insight into who you are both personally and professionally.
Where do I start?
Spend some time considering how you come across as a person.
Are you consistent and authentic across different profiles?
Would your network be interested in the things you are saying
or sharing? What could you change to get yourself noticed by the
right people?
Once your initial self-audit is complete, there are some key things •
to remember as you work on expanding your online presence.
1. Leverage your key influencers
To be noticed online, you need a large network of followers.
Building an audience is easier said than done, no matter how
brilliant your content is.
A more efficient approach is to leverage key influencers in your
industry. Promote and share their work, cite them in tweets and
reference them in your content to gain access to their audiences
and encourage them to, eventually, return the favour. It takes
time and commitment but your efforts will be noticed.
2. Don’t be a social media robot
You’re a real person so don’t shy away from showcasing the more
interesting sides of your personality. If we were all to manage our
online accounts with a strictly formal and robotic approach, the
social media sphere would be a colourless and dreary place to
hang out.
3. Connect, connect, connect
Building a network is a never ending task so make it part of your
daily routine. Invite friends, colleagues and other connections you
meet through events to join you.
On Procurious, perhaps you could connect with someone working
in the same industry or maybe you’d just like to know more about
procurement practices in Fiji!
4. Don’t fool yourself – worlds collide!
I’m often asked about whether it’s better to maintain separate
personal and professional accounts, or opt for a single social media
profile. In my view, your personal brand is the sum of everything
you do online. Trust grows from authenticity so regardless of how
you structure your profiles online, both personal and professional
will reflect your overall brand.
If in doubt when posting online, follow this checklist:
• Does this add to the conversation?
Does it make sense? Would you really talk like that?
• Would I care if my boss or, more importantly, my mum,
read this?
P30