Social Networking 101

As many of us prepare to transition outside of pharma, we really need to be thinking about maximizing our existing relationships, and sharpening our ability to make new ones in fields that interest us.  In doing so however, we can’t be afraid to take the first step.

So if words like Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and Blogging scare the hell out of you, or if you can’t seem to draw a straight line between how they can help you find a job, build a business, or develop a brand, this post is for you.

Just Get Started

There’s a big debate in our culture about the value of social services.  Are these things just time wasters to let us broadcast what we had for breakfast, or are they really forming the most powerful communications infrastructure in our planet’s history, allowing us to connect with anyone on the planet to form relationships, transact, and advance each other’s cause?

The truth is they can be used for both, but the bottom line is that they are being used.  Our advice?  Don’t get left behind; jump in, and figure it out with the rest of us.

4 Easy Steps to Social Networking

Here are some easy steps that you can use to get started with social networking technologies, in order to build your brand and see what’s out there for you:

Step 1: Establish Yourself on LinkedIn

More and more employers are looking at LinkedIn with even greater interest than your resume.  So if you’re not using it, consider it.  Having a strong LinkedIn profile is also one of the first things that would come up if someone were to Google you.

So take control of your online identity, and make good use of this tool.  Sign up at www.LinkedIn.com.

If you want some additional tips on how to make the most of your LinkedIn profile, check out:

a)  How to Get Started With LinkedIn
b) Top 10 Ways to Use LinkedIn

Step 2:  Conquer Your Fear of Twitter

We’re going to throw you out of the nest when it comes to Twitter.  Don’t even worry about whether you understand it or not, just do the following:

Go to www.twitter.com, sign up (it takes 2 minutes), and update your status with:  “I am (insert your name), and I am now on Twitter.”  Then do a search for @afterpharma, and “follow us”.  That’s it for now.  When you’re done that, THEN you can go read up on how you can productively use Twitter in your personal and professional lives to discover what conversations you want to plug into, how you can increase your profile, and how you can think about using it to its full potential.

To get your head around it’s potential, here are some resources for how Twitter could be used to benefit your career and lifestyle:

a)    Twitter in Plain English
b)    The Promise of Twitter
c)    How to use Twitter and LinkedIn to build your personal brand

Step 3:  Start a Blog

According to the Brazen Careerist:

A blog is a great way to figure out what you want to do with yourself because writing regularly is a path to self-discovery. And a blog is a great way to build a network of people who respect you for your ideas, so it is the perfect tool for helping you to attain your goals and dreams, when you know what they are.  And, this pretty much covers everyone, right? The super-focused and the super-lost: You should all be blogging.

We agree Here are some other recommended reads to get you comfortable with the idea of blogging:

a)  Penelope’s Guide to Blogging (and why it could be critical for your career).
b)  Some Rules of Engagement for the Blogosphere

Step 4:  Get onto Facebook

We think you should do this anyway, but if you don’t want to start a blog yet, you really need to get onto Facebook if your’e not already.  Don’t worry about that kid who teased you in grade 5 finding you and wanting to hang out.  Just get on and join the conversation.

The Bottom Line

Are all these tools just hype?  Maybe.

But maybe you’ll also be surprised just how easy it will be to connect with like minded people, reach out to prospective employers, build a following for your business, or help you determine your next direction.

The real bottom line is this:

Just start.