Think you’re just wasting time when you’re on Facebook or Twitter? Well, if you’re just clicking through friends’ pictures, then you probably are. But if you play your cards right, the time you spend on social media could land you a new gig: Funny lady Ana Gasteyer, who currently stars on Suburgatory and is a former Saturday Night Live cast member, landed a new Weight Watchers Online campaign after tweeting about the program.
Gasteyer started the Weight Watchers Online plan on her own—and then began tweeting at and about the company (she now has more than 70,000 followers). Last November, for example, Gasteyer tweeted out, “Hey @Weightwatchers, how many Activity points for sweatily trying to get out of a Spanx undershirt?” It wasn’t long before she caught the attention of company execs.
While you may not have 70,000 Twitter followers, there are plenty of ways for you to use social networking to your advantage. “Over your entire career, if you put yourself out there online, brand yourself, and market your skills, that’s going to pay dividends,” says Dan Schawbel, Gen Y career expert and author of the forthcoming book Promote Yourself: The New Rules For Career Success. Just take it from these real women who rocked social networking:
Be a personal brand evangelist
“I had been doing a lot on Twitter and other social outlets to position myself as a PR expert—sharing industry articles, commenting/critiquing work, promoting events and client news, etc. Being a young professional, I’m very careful to make my personal brand a smart balance of fun/snarky and professional. Then, about four months ago, the owner of a PR and marketing agency connected with me on LinkedIn. I asked my new connection for a coffee meeting, and within a few weeks, I was their new PR account executive. I later found out that the owner had become familiar with my work via Twitter and local social media meet-ups.”
–Kate Bachman, Portland, ME
What she did right: Bachman worked hard to brand herself, network, and get noticed. “What it comes down to is becoming top of mind for certain positions,” says Schawbel. “So when people have an open position and they’re thinking about who to hire, they come to you, because they’re familiar with you based on the online brand that you’ve cultivated, what you share, and how you’re positioned.”
Put yourself out there
“I posted a basic, fact-filled Facebook status update about (1) being unemployed and (2) needing a job. A friend of mine commented on that post, and within minutes I had a message in my inbox from someone he knew saying that she had seen my post, she had a job, and might I be interested? Might I?! I sent her my résumé, we met, and I got hired within a week.”
–Molly English-Bowers, Syracuse, NY
What she did right: She got her (job) status out. “Visibility creates opportunities,” says Schawbel. “If people don’t know that you’re searching for a job, then they don’t know to help you. And even if your friends can’t help, their friends might be able to.” One note here: If you currently have a job, stick to private messages.
Network via social network
“I was working in retail but desperately trying to get out from behind a register. A promising entrepreneur I followed on Facebook said she was looking for organizers for her professional organizing company. I promptly sent her my résumé. I began freelancing for her, and when she had a permanent opening for a personal assistant, she thought of me first.”
–Joy Molfetto, Queens, NY
What she did right: She paid attention to a person she admired professionally on social media. “By following the right people, you’ll see opportunities you wouldn’t have found anywhere else on the web,” says Schawbel. “This is an example of someone making connections and not just sitting back and waiting for opportunities to come to them.”
More from Women’s Health:
5 Social Media Mistakes That Mess with Your Career
The Best Social Networks for Fitness Junkies
4 Ways Your Social Network Can Help You Slim Down