I recently published a social media article in my professional association's newsletter - the American Society for Training and Development, Twin Cities Chapter (ASTD-TCC). Training and development professionals are curious about interactive tools, but not all have taken the plunge into the social media pool. My goal with newsletter articles is to help educate colleagues about the potential uses and challenges in using social media tools.
With the possible exception of Facebook, probably the social media tool most familiar to members, is LinkedIn. We have a LinkedIn group for our members, and many members have profiles. But quite a few of those profiles are not very detailed, or "optimized." My article advises trainers and learning professionals how to maximize their LinkedIn profile.
Social Media Tools for Trainers
by Jane Neumiller-Bustad, Director of Interactive Communications, ASTD-TCC and President, Creative Mind Consulting
Several social media tools have skyrocketed in popularity over the last year or so. Many people are trying to decide which tools to use, and how they might be of benefit both personally and professionally. Over the next couple of months we'll examine several key social media sites and explore how training and development professionals can make effective use of each one.
LinkedIn is a good starting point, since so many people are using this service. Here in the Twin Cities, as in most major metropolitan areas, LinkedIn (www.linkedin.com) has become a key tool for people across virtually all professions.
If you choose to limit your social media exploration, you really should make an exception for LinkedIn. If there's one thing the “Great Recession” is teaching us, it's that we are the only ones responsible for our careers and business ventures. Managing one's brand, image or reputation is a key responsibility for each professional. LinkedIn is a great tool to help you with that task.
Job hunters: you will be searched for on LinkedIn. If your profile is bare bones, or absent, it can negatively impact your chances. The same is true for consultants and freelance trainers. What does your profile say to prospective clients?
A key objective for your profile is to get a “100%” completion rating. To achieve that, make sure you have a professional photo and three recommendations, in addition to completing each profile section. Recommendations can come from both past and current supervisors, peers, clients, and colleagues – and since site users are becoming more familiar with recommendations, the more specific, the better.
Some people choose to include lots of detail in their job descriptions, almost as an online resume. Others use different online tools, like VisualCV.com, or Emurse.com as resume hosting services. It's your call, but the trend seems to be toward simply listing job titles vs. detailed descriptions.
One of the powerful benefits of LinkedIn is the Groups feature. You can join up to 50 groups, which cover an amazing range of professions and interests. Each group has a Discussion feature, with members asking questions and offering insights. It's a great way to showcase your expertise, offer useful information, or gather opinions from fellow group members.
Answers is another powerful way to contribute. While your answers to Group questions are limited to viewing by just Group members, providing information to Answers will be accessible to all LinkedIn members. Some ASTD-TCC members have found business contacts by showcasing their expertise this way.
LinkedIn has a wide range of other features and options available. Since most trainers love PowerPoint (or are at least proficient in its use!), consider uploading a short presentation that highlights your skills. Be careful to not use material you don't own (like a course you created for your employer), and keep it brief and interesting. You don't need to list 15 presentations; if you have more than a couple, rotate them to keep your profile fresh. Job hunters can use this tool very effectively – it sets you apart from others.
Use the Books application to highlight training and development books of interest, or let people know what books you're currently reading. This is a great tool to give your profile individuality.
Be careful with the Travel application. Indicating when you will be out of town isn't wise from either a personal safety or theft prevention perspective. Many people are using it, but since information is so widely available on the Internet, finding your address may be easier than you think.
Once you land that new job, or even if you feel secure in your current position, don't neglect your profile. Use the handy Status update to let colleagues know what you're currently working on, or status of a project. You can include links to blog posts, interesting training web sites, or other useful information. If your employer blocks access to LinkedIn during work hours, take the time to update your status from home once every week or two. It brings your profile to the attention of your contacts on a regular basis. Keep it professional, but personal. Don't fall victim to the “too much information” syndrome.
Add to your network of Contacts regularly. Some people choose the “open networking” path, and seek to connect to as many people as possible. Others are more discriminating and only connect with those they know personally, or from a positive interaction online. Think about your strategy and what you hope to accomplish with your connections. Make a decision that is best for you; there is no “right” number of contacts.
Consultants should consider creating and maintaining a LinkedIn company profile. While this has been limited to larger organizations in the past, companies of all sizes are jumping on the bandwagon. If you are the training manager for a small to medium sized business, consider advocating such a move for your company.
And finally, check your account settings to determine levels of privacy and access to your profile. You can choose to hide the fact that you've viewed someone's profile, or limit the amount of information others can view. While the idea of online networking is to connect with others, you still have control over what they can and can't see.
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