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Essential Social Media Practices for Engineers

For an Engineer, a professional social media profile is equivalent to an online business card. It can be leveraged to find a new job and network with potential clients and employers to build your digital "rolodex". To help with your digital efforts, we've got your guide on the best networking sites for Engineers and tips on how to leverage them to create a strong profile.

Articles 06-08-2017 11:51:10

LinkedIn

The most common professional social media platform. It’s a tool to facilitate connections with colleagues, business associates, clients and industry thought leaders. As an Engineer, you have access to forums that connect you to industry professionals —  allowing you to gain direct contact with hiring managers and generate new leads.

Some tips to strengthen your LinkedIn Profile:

  • A Professional Headshot. A first impression is a lasting impression. Consider investing in a professional headshot to make a strong impact.
  • Keyword Rich Summary. Including keywords in your summary ensures you come up in searches —leading recruiters to you! Be sure to use plenty of industry specific keywords, keep it short and focus on how you provide value to people.
  • LinkedIn Groups. Be selective and join groups specific to your industry and role. Contribute to conversations and start your own dialogue. And of course, invite members to join your personal network.

Twitter

Because this platform provides quick, short updates in real-time, it’s a great place for Engineers to pick up the latest industry headlines and news, follow engineering professionals and influencers — while keeping up to date with technical product design trends or industry updates. Not to mention, some of the most influential Engineers in the world, including Tesla founder Elon Musk, use Twitter to complement their recruitment strategies.1

To capitalize on professional success from Twitter:

  • Follow Influencers and Thought Leaders. Find influencers or professionals in your specific industry and follow their posts.
  • Retweet. Retweet content about industry news, trends and events and link the original user so they know you’re sharing their material.
  • Use Trending Industry Hashtags. Research popular hashtags relevant to your technical field and incorporate them into your posts to allow your content to be found by your target audience.

Quora and other Online Communities

Quora is an online forum that allows users to post and answer questions in line with their industry. Online forums and communities can be effective for you to not only connect, but to also engage with other Engineering professionals’ research and findings. It’s essentially a digital space for professional discussion and commentary.

To make the most out of Quora and other online communities:

  • Become a Thought Leader. Contribute with useful information, and while doing so, provide documentation to support your views. Being factual will add to your credibility.
  • Create your Newsfeed. Select topics, people and questions to follow that are specific to your interests and field within engineering.
  • Participate. Contribute to discussions that are in your area of expertise or interests. Ask intelligent questions and use the answers to start a meaningful conversation.

Your online media profiles can position you as a Subject Matter Expert. A strong and professional online identity can lead to more media attention, better partnerships and higher quality clients. For more tips and tricks on how you as an Engineer can maximize your professional social media profiles, contact your local Adecco branch and speak to one of our experts today!

1 http://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-uses-twitter-to-recruit-workers-for-teslas-gigafactory-2018-1