smart phones… the best social networking sites… networking not broadcasting
Social networking has established itself in modern society as a valuable and fun communication tool whereby many people remain in touch or network with each other.
Over 80% of professionals between the ages of 18 and 40 now use Social networking tools such as Facebook, LinkedIn and Google Plus 3-4 times per week. However very few people have been able to leverage Social Networking in order to enhance their career opportunities.
At BITE since December 7th 2009 Social Networking has been established as a fundamental tool of each candidates job search, with each candidate developing their Social Network Marketing plan.
The Standard for professionals in the UK is LinkedIn and the use of a well defined complete profile. 80% of your Social network work should go into working with your personal branding on this site. However it is also vital to harness the benefits of Facebook currently the biggest website in the world and maximise the benefits of Google cost effectively.
Many candidates see a real conflict of interest between Social Networking and Professional networking with the former only offering to damage their chances of attaining employment. In fact used correctly Social networking can massively enhance each individual’s chances of finding work.
Professional networking has long been established as a useful tool to enhance your career with and this can now be developed within the context of Social Media into an incredibly powerful tool to access the hidden job market with. Over 50% of all contract work is now attained through networking and with Social networking each contractor can quickly see the benefits of their work and access work within the hidden job market that is not advertised.
At BITE we offer free Social Networking evening seminars to help established contractors enhance their position and offer social networking training sessions for all candidates looking for a contract role.
SMART PHONES
- 35% of UK adults own a smartphone (Source: YouGov – July 2011)
- 14% of 55 years + have a smartphone (Source: YouGov – July 2011)
- 13% of smartphones are Android (Source: ICM Research – June 2011)
- 10% of smartphones are Blackberry (Source: ICM Research – June 2011)
- 9% of smartphones are iPhone (Source: ICM Research – June 2011)
Smart phones are used in UK society instead of or as a compliment to laptops and PCs. Integrating your smartphone into your social networking is a smart move. Smart phones help you monitor your social networking on the move. You to take your professional network with you wherever you go. You will have immediate access to your contacts and important updates, such as newly posted positions.
Most smart phones have apps to the best social networking websites
BEST SITES
- LinkedIn – The professional social network
- Facebook – The largest social network
- Twitter – The easiest and quickest social network to use
- Google Plus – The most optimised social network, helping you be found
LinkedIn is the professional choice for networking. Your profile on LinkedIn is like a C.V. and you should be prepared to “work” LinkedIn to gain the additional benefits from this social networking site. Our free seminars will tell you what you need to be doing to help enhance your personal brandning on this site, and show you how to engage and network with potential employers and contractors.
Facebook is the largest social networking site and should therefore not be dismissed as just a place to chat with your friends. Most employers will look at facebook to see what you are really like. At BITE we will edicate you on how you can use this tool to enhance your personal branding, and gain leverage with prospective employers.
Twitter is quick and easy to use, and is also fast becoming a search engine in its own right. Searching for jobs and prospective employees is easy, and because it uses quick fire information in under 140 characters it is also very easy to get wrong! Our free evening seminars help you understand how you can search for prospects and jobs, how you can enhance your personal branding, and how you can integrate this with your professional LinkedIn account for maximum exposure.
Google Plus
New to the social scene, and not yet routinely used by the average man on the street, Google Plus will become one of the best places to be found. Your personal competition may not be using Google Plus effectively yet, and so you can shine here. In addition, Google recently made changes to its algorithm which actively promotes the use of Googles’ plus 1 buttons, a part of the Google Plus social network. BITE can help you understand how to shine on this newest of social networks.
NETWORKING NOT BROADCASTING
Social Networking is just that… networking! The only difference is that you are networking online, with people you cannot see.
BITE encourage you not to broadcast about yourself, but to engage with others in the same way as you would in a room full of people. Each of the different social networks can be viewed in a different way. For example, LinkedIn is like a business networking meeting where you discuss business and listen to what others have to say, offering advice and asking questions where appropriate, whereas Twitter is more akin to a cocktail networking event, where you wander around and listen to snippets of conversation and engage if your find it interesting.
Our free evening seminars show you how you can engage with your audience rather than just shout about who you are and what you do.
What next?
If you’d like to know more about the job market in the UK, and wish to contract via BITE, send in your CV and come and meet us at our London offices. Have any questions; want to know more about contracting? Check the FAQ’s.