How to Use Social Media to Advance Your Career in 4 Simple Steps

Karen Gilchrist

Social media can be a welcome distraction from the daily grind of the office, but it can also be a useful tool for advancing your career – if you know how to use it.

That doesn’t just mean listing your resume on LinkedIn and or liking the same interests as your boss on Facebook.

These days, making sure your social media profile looks and sounds professional is just the “first step,” according to social media management platform Hootsuite. But using it to build “a professional brand” could be what sets you apart.

That can be achieved in four simple steps, Hootsuite’s senior director of growth and marketing for Asia Pacific, Roger Graham, told CNBC Make It.

1. Thought leadership

First of all, identify a niche that you want to own as a professional and start creating content to showcase it.

“This should be where your expertise lies, or the direction that you want to take your career,” explained Graham.

He advised frequently talking to industry leaders and forming opinions on “hot button topics” impacting your industry. That will not only make you more knowledgeable about your subject area, but also help you to stand out from your peers.

2. Content curation

Secondly, make it easy for people to follow you by coming up with a content calendar.

Ideally, you should share posts regularly enough that people look out for them, but not so often that you risk flooding their feed.

“This could take the form of an interesting news article, short commentary on breaking news or your own thought-leadership opinion pieces,” Graham noted.

3. Amplification

Next, be sure to share your work across various social media platforms.

Not only will that allow you to target your different networks, but it will also help you expand your reach and engage with new audiences.

If your content aligns with your organization, it may also be willing to share it, so “keep your options open,” suggested Graham.

4. Engagement

Finally, don’t forget that social media is about being social.

“Feel free to engage with people’s content, share their own thought-leadership pieces, and react to people engaging with you,” explained Graham.

“This is a crucial step in building your own network as it will help you reach out to networks outside of your own.”