Climbing Social Media’s Back

In a week, I’ll be revisiting Centennial College to speak with a group of Corporate Communications & Public Relations post graduate students about my professional experience since graduating. It’s surreal to think back on the journey I’ve taken in the past year, from intern to corporate suit, non-member to IABC board member, from glass half empty to filled to the brim with Google juice.

I love speaking to students, maybe because I still feel like one. I know what it’s like to wonder where you’re headed, why you’re taking all these courses that have nothing to do with what you’re interested in (I’m an English grad, and yes, I took Old English) and why no one can answer, with certainty, the question that every post-grad students wants to know: how much money can I expect to make?

A new graduate has alot against them; you will quickly realize the stigma against young folks in business, and, if you’re as lucky as I was, you’ll have a mentor who recognizes and supports the value of a young professional. The new graduate also has a lot on their side, and one of the bigger ones is social media.

There are so many senior communicators scrambling to get a grasp on something that many of us, as digital natives, were born into. Many young professionals could type 200+ words before they could drive. We were using instant messaging before MSN, downloading music before iTunes and participating in online communities before Facebook or Twitter. This is a huge advantage!

Besides your experience during your client projects and internship, graduating students have few options to buff up their resume. Volunteering at your local IABC or CPRS chapter events can work wonders and even lead to a position on the board. But what other work do you have to flaunt?

Think of all the things that being involved in social media can do for your career:

1. Networking with the right folks can lead to job references, tips on inside positions and great career advice

2. This space is a knowledge bank; soak it up

3. By maintaining a blog, and commenting on others, you’re boosting your searchability and the chances of being found (where do you think prospective employers go first, even before the interview? Google!)

4. Leverage all the hard work you’ve put into your blog by showcasing your best pieces in your portfolio

5. Deliver prospective employers a digital resume with your portfolio, with links to your blog and other accomplishments you’ve had on line

6. Make your involvement in this space a project and turn it into a case study (communications people love case studies, and SM is far too new to have many of its own)

By leveraging your involvement in the social media space, you can stand out form the crowd and cement your foot in the door.

~ by Brandon Carlos on March 11, 2009.