It’s easy to get caught up in scrolling through photos on your feeds, looking at the newest tweets on your timeline, or catching up on the latest tea on TheShadeRoom. While there’s nothing wrong with leisurely using social media, you should also be using the social networks…to network. Between Instagram and Twitter alone, there are millions of users to connect with and countless ways in which you can advertise your talents. Below, we’re breaking down 4 ways you can start using social media to network like a boss:
Image credit: Essence.com
1. Promote yourself.
In today’s digital age, opportunities are just a click away. Properly articulating what skills you have and highlighting the work you’ve done on your social media profiles is one way to get noticed and potentially secure internships or job opportunities. An easy first step to branding yourself is by describing who you are and what you do in your social media bio.
2. Join Twitter chats.
Engaging with other people is what social media is all about. Joining Twitter chats about topics you’re interested in can help you get to know other individuals and get more eyes on your profiles. Accounts like @blkcreatives host regular Twitter chats.
3. Follow people in your desired field.
If you’re an aspiring journalist, you should be following your favorite journalists. If you want to be a doctor, you should be keeping up with popular medics. Curating a timeline with people who are working at the jobs you want is a way to learn about your field and build connections in your industry.
4. Don’t be afraid to contact people you admire.
Just because your favorite girl boss has 100K followers does not mean she’s not willing to respond to you. Most people with influence love to share their knowledge and advice with others, so don’t be afraid to send a DM or email to the social media users you love. Reaching out to them for words of wisdom can provide you with important insight along your career journey and potentially even lead to mentorship.