You want to build professional relationships. How can you use social media to get started?

Throughout my experience as a recruiter, I have put a lot of emphasis on building relationships within my industry. Building your own personal brand online is what gives you credibility and accessibility. One question I always ask myself is "what platform would I use if I wanted to connect with someone like me?" My answer has always been LinkedIn and Instagram. Adding a human element to my online brand has helped me tremendously throughout my relationship building journey!

Social media facilitates networking through platforms like LinkedIn, where professionals connect and engage. It boosts visibility and branding, encourages interaction, and enables content sharing to showcase expertise. Virtual networking events and following industry leaders aid in research and learning, fostering professional relationships.

Acredito que depende um pouco da área de atuação profissional da pessoal, linkedin por exemplo sempre foi mais para relação profissional, mas sigo alguns perfis do instagram que agregam não só no relacionamento como no conhecimento.

Selection of the right platform where my professional contacts are existing will be the better choice. Sharing good content, appreciating the contacts, commenting on their celebrations will work out.

Some things that have worked for me. - Choose the platform that is most used by the demographic you want to attract. - Engage with, don’t just like posts. - Find out what works in your chosen platform. For example, paragraph after paragraph of text probably won’t make someone read your posts. Bullet points are your friend. - Don’t go too product heavy on your posts. Post useful interesting content that encourages people to engage with you. - Be consistent in the volume of your posts.

Optimizing your profile is how people search and find you. The first step to take is to have a professional picture. It gives people an idea of what you look like if they met you. The picture is the first thing people look at when visiting your profile. A good tip is to be the only person in the picture. In addition, avoid distractions in the background. Express confidence. If you use a platform like LinkedIn, optimize it through keywords. You can optimize through the headline, about section, work experience section, and URL. Be strategic so your profile can be discoverable. Make sure to update your profile regularly.

Creating content provides insight into your personality. Coming up with quality content takes time. It is not an easy process and requires a delicate balance. Videos or pictures can help your content appeal to readers. Storytelling is great for connecting with your audience. Humanize your story through success and failure. Show authenticity in your content. Find optimal days and times that work for your schedule. Use a scheduling tool to plan how you want your content posted. Identify posts that resonate with your audience and discover new ideas to engage with them. It requires you to be creative and understand it is a long process of creating valuable content.

Don’t hide your work! Publish it! Add the challenges along with your successes. The challenges will give others insight and the successes hope. It’s all about generating engagement. So start by also promoting and celebrating other’s hard work. Support, share, like, message, reach out!

Engage with your connections or other people in your field of interest. It is an opportunity to share your ideas and become a thought leader. LinkedIn is a platform where you can like, comment, or repost. Find people who share your interests. Add insightful comments to keep the conversation going and make it relevant. Be proactive in your approach. You may gain new connections. If someone reaches out, promptly respond to them. Make your interaction professional. Be authentic.

When I had just started recruiting within restaurants, I was working on a challenging role and couldn't find the perfect fit on LinkedIn. I had just set up my instagram account and decided to post the position there. Within an hour, an old friend of mine reached out to suggest someone he knew in the market who hadnt set up a LinkedIn profile. He was offered the role a week later and we are still connected 3 years after his start date. I think it is important to not fall into the trap of using one platform for all your relationship development needs. Diversity is the key to success!