"Use social media to help you succeed"

Build your professional profile: In today’s world, image matters. When someone searches online to find out more about you, their first impression of you is based on the profile. Ensure you have a smart photograph, a crisp headline and a rich summary, which talks about what you have done and skills you have developed.

Develop your network: Quality always wins over quantity. This is not a competition to build the largest network — it’s about building and maintaining a network of people who will help each other become more successful in their careers. A connection will only be useful as long as you invest in it as much as you ask of it.

Research companies to be more successful: Over 2 million corporations and most Indian majors maintain official company profiles. By following companies that are of interest to you, you can keep track of people movement, product changes and job openings. It’s also a great way to keep track of various competitors, partners and even potential employers. Data suggests that people change jobs every three or four years; and you should have the latest information on the marketplace.

Join professional networks: They can be the best source of professional insights. Sophisticated tools provide unparalleled and contextual access to news that is most relevant to your industry or function. If you have interest in other industries, it’s easy to see what professionals in that space believe is the hottest news for the day. Joining groups allows you access to professionals who are interested in the same subject matter.

Improve your productivity: Professionals spend a lot of time commuting. Make use of your commute time to be more informed. Here are three examples of how to use that time:

Morning news — Start your morning with 15 minutes on microblogging websites. That will help you pick up contextual news. This could be invaluable in meetings, client visits and business planning sessions.
Research before your meeting — A quick profile lookup before every meeting allows you to have better context on the people you are meeting. You never know, you might end up meeting someone who went to the same college as you.
Make email work — Integrations into Microsoft Outlook and IBM Lotus Notes allow you to get concise information within your mail client.