These days there is a lot of information out there for teens and young adults on what they should not do on social media and some guidelines on privacy settings that are good to pay attention to. However, there is very little information on how social media, when used properly, can have a potentially positive impact on your career.
The social networking site LinkedIn can be particularly beneficial as a source of career development opportunities when used to its full extent. LinkedIn should not be mistaken for just another innovative social media site designed to connect people in the business world and allow their networks to grow. Yes, there are benefits to that aspect of LinkedIn but there are other benefits to be gained that most individuals are not currently taking full advantage of.
When creating or editing your profile on LinkedIn there is a section dedicated to experience. Unfortunately, most people are not utilising this section as well as they could. The best way to get the most out of the experience section is to view it similarly to the “work experience” section of a CV. Even better than that, view it as a work-life highlights/achievement reel. The experience section, when completed to a high standard, should be able to provide anyone who views your profile with a good understanding of; what you have achieved, what difficulties you may have faced and/or overcome, and how you have impacted on others or organisations. Ideally you should include something for every job and achievement. (The more experienced you become the more selective you can be about which roles and information are most relevant to include)
You may be wondering why your experience section is relevant to individuals viewing your profile? The answer lies in who the individuals looking at your profile are and whether they may have career development opportunities to offer.
Some head-hunters and recruitment agencies use LinkedIn as a resource for finding and approaching people. One of the ways this is done is by finding suitable profiles with experience and skills that match a person specification or candidate brief these individuals are working to. If your experience section is not currently up to date, or even worse empty, there is a chance you will be overlooked and not approached for a job that could be ideal for you, even your dream job.
With this information in mind, you need to review your profile regularly ensuring your experience profile particularly is, up to date. Maybe you have recently completed a project or gained a new skill? Only when you continually add these types of things to your profile will you be able to fully benefit from the potential opportunities that may come with using the LinkedIn platform in the most effective way for your career.