Melanie Kloosterman

Learning Goals

What are the best

professional online

networking platforms?

What are the advantages

of successful online

networking?

What are the ways to

become a successful

networker?

I like to say that Twitter is like a bar, Facebook is

your living room and LinkedIn is the local

chamber of commerce

LinkedIn is the largest professional networking site with over 225 million users

In the “answer” section have experienced professionals express their opinions, helping you make corrective decisions for your career

Find your dream job; everyday there are job postings where companies are hiring

Stay Informed Find people & knowledge Control your professional identity

Market yourself Find useful contacts & work projects Find your dream job

A professional social networking site

created in Germany in 2003

Has over 13 million members

The way the site works is very similar to

LinkedIn

It displays how each member is

connected to any other member,

creating a “small-world” effect

The largest social networking site with

1.11 billion users

Targeted to everyday users, not as a

professional networking site

Is a great way to build your personal

network

A great way to advertise your business

and reach millions of people

Social networking giant Connects people Advertise your business

It’s not what you know, but who you know

Business Leads

Networking is a great way to obtain new business leads. Using the contacts you make can open up new business opportunities

Career Opportunities

Networking can expose you to jobs that are not posted online. In fact, approximately 70% of jobs obtained are through networking

Personal Opportunities

Networking can build relationships that can be helpful for everyday life. For example, you can use your network to find a mechanic to fix your car

Identify Best Practices

Networking is a great way to identify business practices and industry benchmarks. By learning from what others do is a valuable business strategy

New Business Trends

Networking can help you

stay ahead on

technology and business

trends. This can give you

an advantage over your

competition by applying

new and fresh ways of

doing things

All of these benefits can help you advance

your career!

You are what you share

Create an up-to-date profile. While looking for a job you would never have an incomplete resume. Therefore, keeping a current up-to-date profile is important to attracting new contacts

Ensure your profile has a professional picture. A quality headshot and appropriate work attire is best

Get recommendations. Recommendations provide confirmation of your experience/skills and increase your chances of being contacted by recruiters

Don’t air your dirty laundry. Keep your complaints about companies or individuals off social networking sites. Once it is out there, you cannot take it back. Keep all your posts professional

And most importantly, business networking is about what you can do for others. Building a good rapport is only beneficial. Without fail, what goes around comes around

Conclusion

With the explosion of social media, the importance of online networking is greater than ever before. There are many platforms available to users, but LinkedIn and Xing are geared towards building a professional network. There are numerous advantages such as gaining business leads or career opportunities. It is essential to keep your profile up-to-date and only post professional content to receive the full benefits that online networking can offer. As you can see, successful online networking has a correlation with career advancement. So, get socializing!

References

Buddy, Entreprenuer. Entreprenuer Buddy. 26 April 2011.

connaughtexec. Online Professional Networking. n.d.

Forbes. How to Network Like a Pro Online. 09 August 2007.

Heathfield, Susan M. About.com: Human Resources. n.d.

LinkedIn. LinkedIn. 2013.

Networking Today. A guide for business professionals and college graduates. n.d.

The Thriving Small Business. What are the 5 advantages of professional networking. 2013.

twitter140characters. Blogspot. 3 December 2012.

Wikipedia. Facebook. n.d.