Four Status Updates to Post on Your Social Networking Page

By now, we all know that the absolute best way to build a strong professional network and to really market ourselves to employers is by having an active presence on social media sites like LinkedIn. Especially since it's a networking site geared toward professionals, it provides an excellent platform to connect with others in your industry and to find out about new job openings. By looking over your profile, an employer can find out more information about you and the type of employee you are than they would just by reading your resume.

While it certainly gives you a way to shine, your profile can also make you seem less than enthusiastic about what you do. For example, if you create a great profile, connect with a few people and only post in fits and spurts, with long periods of inactivity, you might be perceived as someone who doesn't follow through or who isn't a leader or even an active follower. However, when you're just beginning to establish yourself on a social networking site, it can be very tough to think of things to post. Of course, we all know that you shouldn't write a post about how you had an interview at XYZ company and that the interviewer was stupid and you hated them, but what sort of posts can you make on a weekly basis that show you in your best light?

Here are four status updates you can post on your social networking page:

“Having a great time at ABC Job Fair...” - It's always a good idea to post at least once from any networking event you attend. To make your post interesting, mention something the keynote speaker said or the names of some of the people you've met. If well-respected leaders in your industry will be there, why not take a picture with them and post it? The goal is to show that you are involved in the industry and to start a conversation about the event.

“Take a look at this video. It makes a great statements about...” - Posting links to interesting videos, blogs and web pages can really help you stand out. As long as the things you share are interesting and helpful to people in your industry, you can become someone that others follow in order to keep up-to-date with industry news.

“I'd love to hear everyone's thoughts about this new change in the industry [link to your personal blog post].” - If you have your own website or blog, you can and should post links back to any post you've made that you think your followers will enjoy. However, you don't want to make them feel spammed, so try to limit this sort of self-promotion to just two or three times a week at first.

“Only one semester left! I can't believe that I'll have my Advance Degree in Whatever in just a few more month.” - Use your status updates to keep your contacts aware of the work you are doing to continue your education. Be sure to use the exact title of the degree or certification as well, so that if an employer is searching for people in your industry who mention this qualification, they will find you. Not only is it a good way to keep your friends in the loop, this type of status update lets you brag a little about your accomplishments.

When it comes to your status updates, get creative and look for ways to connect with others, stand out as an active member of the community and promote yourself at the same time. It might seem a bit overwhelming at first, but with a little practice, it will become second nature.

What things do you post on your professional networking pages? Please share your thoughts in the comments.

Image Source: TalkNerdyToMe