Attention young future professionals: If you've heard about this "networking" thing, and dabbled in some social media, it may be time to take your career building efforts to the next level.
Winter break is here, and that extra free time might best be used to solidify your social media presence and start marketing your most important brand: Yourself.
So you have a blog and you’re signed up for Twitter and LinkedIn. What's next? Here are some ideas.
1. Find a Mentor
It’s never too early to find a mentor. They can be extremely valuable for a young professional. They can provide everything from tips, to networking opportunities, to a friend that you can turn to with professional problems.
Is there a professional that you’ve been following for a while? If a mentorship isn’t developing naturally for you, here’s a good strategy.
a. Choose five professionals that you look up to.
b. Follow them on Twitter, read their blog and start to comment on all of their posts with as much value as you can gather.
c. Start to connect. Send them messages on Twitter and anywhere else you follow them. Just be yourself and be friendly.
d. If they’re close, ask them if they’d like to grab coffee or lunch. If they agree, continue to build on that relationship and you’ve got yourself a mentor. If they’re not close, send an e-mail. Explain your goals and ask them if they’d be interested in being your mentor.
Some mentors can be more helpful than others depending on the amount of time they have and how strong your relationship is with them. It may take time to build, but the winter break is a good time to plant some seeds.
2. Take Your Blog to the Next Level
- Social Media Can Change The World Through Common Ground
- 5 Ways Social Media Is Changing Our Daily Lives