ONLINE SOCIAL NETWORKING Barnard College Career Development

Why Network Online?  Meet contacts you would have never had the opportunity to meet otherwise  Great way to make connections with people who share similar interests or goals  Keep track of your contacts  80% of jobs are not advertised

Online Etiquette  Have your traditional resume ready before you jump into social networking  Without face-to-face interaction, things can easily be misconstrued  Most appropriate to reach out to those you are connected to in some way  Follow-ups and thank you messages

Barnard Alumnae Network What you can do on the network: Set up a personalized profile Find job postings directly by alumnae Join groups Reach out to alumnae in fields of interest

How to Reach Out to Alumnae Dear Mrs. Davis, My name is Sarah Smith and I am a senior majoring in Art History at Barnard College. I found your information listed on the Alumnae Network, and after reading your profile, I thought you may be a fitting professional for me to reach out to. I have been interning at a local non-profit organization that brings art programs into underserved schools. Though I find the work rewarding, I miss the former work I did in art galleries. I was wondering if you any advice regarding establishing a career in a gallery. Would you be able to discuss this for about 30 minutes? I would be happy to meet with you at a location of your convenience. My resume is attached to provide further information on my experiences. I appreciate your time and I look forward to hearing from you. Warm Regards, Sarah Smith

Follow-Up and Referrals Dear Mrs. Davis, Thank you so much for meeting with me to discuss my career path. I was energized when you told me about Forum Gallery, and I would like to learn more. Would you be able to connect me to someone to speak about employment opportunities? …. Make sure you are asking for a referral NOT a recommendation Dear Mrs. Johnson, Allison Davis suggested I contact you to learn about employment opportunities at the Forum Gallery. I am very interested twentieth- century and contemporary art, more specifically in American and European modernism and figurative art ….

Building Your Online Image Google your name and set up a Google alert Think about what makes you unique Use a middle initial if your name is common Incorporate your narrative into your social media consistently “A brand is not what you think it is, it is what they think it is”

Professional social networking site that gives you the ability to:  Establish an online presence  Show off your resume in an online format  Find people for informational interviews  Research career paths  Get linked to individuals through your connections  Join groups and participate in discussions  Learn more about companies  Apply to job opportunities  Create an online rolodex

LinkedIn Tips Upload professional head shot with light or colorful background Customize headline Use key words in the summary section Connect to people you know and personalize your invitations Claim your public profile link and use it in correspondence Reach out to connections for public recommendations Join professional groups

Micro-blogging social networking site that gives you the ability to:  Follow various organizations and companies to stay current on news, trends, and events  Put out 140 max character tweets about industry experiences and the kinds of jobs you are looking for  Share related industry information  Find, follow, and connect to people in industries of interest

Twitter Tips Use the same picture as LinkedIn for consistency Use LinkedIn account link for your website Consider having a similar LinkedIn headline and Twitter headline Tweet consistently Use WTHashtag.com and WeFollow.com to find experts Follow people who reflect well on you professionally

Blogging Decide if it is right for you Can establish credibility or lack of credibility Build upon your writing portfolio Consider using an alias if content is controversial Only list blogs on your resume if they are relevant

 Decide if using facebook professionally is right for you (consider setting up 2 nd account)  Understand privacy settings  Pick your friends and groups carefully  Participate in groups When job searching, it can be place for you to tell people what you are looking for

Maintaining Your Relationships  Follow up periodically; not just about jobs  Be a resource - this is not a one way street; send opportunities about jobs and other events i.e.: conferences, trainings, articles, etc  Keep track of who and where people are

Questions?