Do you have questions about the effectiveness of your online career presence? Are you unsure if your LinkedIn is really serving your job search and networking needs? Is your Instagram or Twitter performing below your expectations? Maximize your LinkedIn and other social media profiles by scheduling a LinkedIn and Social Media Positioning appointment with a Career Education team member.
LinkedIn, the popular “social-media-meets-professional-networking” platform that currently boasts more than 800 million users, is becoming more and more commonplace as people navigate their career pathways. Whether it’s to find a job, join a group, catch up with someone you met at a conference, share your accomplishments, or pave the way to your professional future in some other fashion, LinkedIn is the place to be.
According to Hootsuite, LinkedIn has members in more than 200 countries and regions worldwide. Networking is no longer limited to who you know from your class, the office, or other associations – it’s spanning the globe. In seconds, you can message someone in another timezone and talk about all things “career” – that’s a pretty cool thing.
Of those you can network with, 60% (of LinkedIn users) are between the ages of 25 and 34 years old. Early career professionals have encountered similar challenges to soon-to-be graduates, recent graduates, and alumni, making their presence on LinkedIn uplifting, encouraging, and supportive. Whether you want to follow the next LinkedInfluencer or message someone who has the career you’re striving for, there are countless opportunities to engage with the best in the biz.
Beyond networking and connecting, LinkedIn is also synonymous with finding jobs, making the application process seamless, and promoting organizations that are hiring. 6 people are hired through LinkedIn every minute – if what’s been said previously hasn’t convinced you to join LinkedIn and maximize your presence there, I hope this statistic does. Whether you’ve connected with a recruiter or a talent acquisition specialist at the company of your dreams, replied to a shared job posting that you scrolled across in your feed, or used LinkedIn’s Easy Apply function to apply for a role, securing a job through LinkedIn is becoming a new norm. And, in efforts to keep streamlining the hiring process and making the job search accessible to all, virtual recruiting is here to stay. 58 million companies have LinkedIn pages. So, get busy, and go find the job of your dreams!
While LinkedIn is often deemed the professional side of social media and networking, Twitter, Instagram, and other social media platforms can also support your career growth and enhance your online presence. According to an article from Sprout Social, Twitter sees 6,000 Tweets every second. That means that, at any given time, thousands of people are perusing the site, seeking engaging content and chances for connecting with others. Instagram, the 4th most-used social platform behind Facebook, YouTube, and WhatsApp, drives high engagement and is arguably one of the best places to be for audience reach and interaction. 18-34 year-olds make up the biggest portion of Instagram’s users, making it a great place for college and early-career young professionals to network, market their personal brands, and grow their audience. And, with the range of content to engage with, including Instagram Stories, the ever-hilarious and dynamic Reels, ads, and other interactive elements, Instagram is the place to be for all things design, media, personal branding, brand engagement, and networking.
Utilizing LinkedIn and other social platforms in the job search, internship search, networking, and building a personal brand is a necessity in today’s career space. If all of this sounds overwhelming to you, you’re not alone in having reservations about joining LinkedIn and exploring its potential or taking your Instagram profile to the next level. If you have questions about how to build a stand-out profile, how to engage with connections in a meaningful way, what to post and when to post it, how to apply for jobs, how to research companies, and more, please schedule a LinkedIn and Social Media Positioning appointment with a member of the Center of Career Development’s Career Education team. We are here to support you and ensure you have the tools you need to maximize LinkedIn and other social platforms in line with your industry, preferences, and career goals.
BU + Beyond 