Be A Social Climber

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- Caitlin Carlson

You know how to use LinkedIn to further your career, but the more social of the social-media platforms can be just as powerful when it comes to interacting with industry bigwigs and learning about new opportunities. ‘If you’re not treating social media like a networking party, you’re selling yourself short,’ says Peg Samuel, founder of the branding agency Social Diva Media. Cosmo explains how to land your next gig – without getting off your couch.

THE BASICS

Each platform plays by its own rules. But before you go job hunting, take these three little steps.

1. Scrub your social history by deleting any old profiles or photos you wouldn’t want a future boss to see. Use the grandmother rule: if a post would mortify dear ol’ Gran, delete it.

2. Make sure you have a consistent presence on at least a few of the big four – Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat and Twitter. Go ahead and make your pages public (if you simply can’t stand spammers and opt to stay private, remember to accept any follower requests regularly). Add links on each of your social media profiles to your LinkedIn account so you’re easy to find.

3. Master what Jessica Miller-Merrell, founder of workplace resource site Workology, calls the social-media mullet – you know, business in the front, party in the back! That means keeping roughly 70 per cent of your posts business appropriate and the rest personal. ‘Lead with professional,’ she says. ‘Then add something about what makes you fun, which helps differentiate you.’

INSTAGRAM

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