Making Time for Social Networking:5 Ways to Get Started

If you claim that you don’t have time for social networking or if you are one of the doubter who thinks that social networking is a waste of time, then you obviously haven’t examined it closely. When you think back to how most people used to get the jobs that they currently have, a lot of it had to do not with their actual qualifications (sad to say) but rather, it had to do with who they knew.

“Oh, a friend of a friend of mine knows this guy who has this friend who might be interested in what you’re doing and may be able to help out…”

“I got this job because my mom is friends with this lady who has a daughter who…”

“I went to this business networking meeting and met this young man who also loves to play golf. We eventually started meeting up regularly to play golf, and then when I lost my job, he found an opening in his company…”

How many times have we heard the above scenarios before? How often have we known someone who has landed a job or a business deal or who has even eeked out a friendship…possibly a romantic relationship that ended up in marriage all because of who they were networking with? It happens more often than you think. And with the new wave of social media and social networking sweeping across the entire globe, infecting everyone, we are now more subjected to putting ourselves out there on the Internet, whether it is through Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Inside919 or some other networking medium.

We are people who seek the camaraderie of other like-minded (and sometimes different, unique) individuals. We like to know that we are not alone, that others share our interests and want to communicate. That being said, the following are five ways to integrate social networking into your life:

1. Join Twitter. Nowadays, everyone and their mother is on Twitter. If you have a Blackberry or some other type of mobile device, you can usually find a free Twitter app to help keep you connected on the go.
2. Look up and join a meetup group. There are plenty of meetup groups in your local area if you just look. From divorce groups to book reading clubs, there is more than likely something out there that will catch your eye; plus, it’s a great way to meet other professionals who live and work in your area.
3. Be regularly active on your social networking sites. One of the most annoying things (especially if you are on Twitter) is to be following someone who almost never signs in. If you are regularly active, then you are more likely to carry interesting convos with people than if you never sign in.
4. Only join three or four social networking sites. One of the biggest mistakes that people make is that they wind up joining way too many social networking sites. Your brain can only handle so much information at a time. Focus on one or two sites (everyone is different) and then really learn how to master those social networks. It will be worth it in the long run.
5. Create a LinkedIn profile. Creating a LinkedIn profile is akin to having a professional resume online. It validates your skills and lends credibility to whatever it is that you do for a living because employers (as well as other people) can leave reviews about you on your profile page.