The secrets of successful networking

Do you spend a good part of each day tweeting, tumbling, posting and liking? Have you built your personal brand in tandem with your follower count?

If you answered yes to either of these questions, you probably understand what it takes to reach people through platforms like Twitter, Tumblr, Facebook and LinkedIn. And increasingly, that kind of know-how may well help you land a job.

On Wednesday, March 19, you can get the lowdown at “Careers in Social Media”: a panel discussion with Concordia grads from the CBC, Microsoft, Yelp and University Communication Services who will share their advice and professional experiences. The event is co-hosted by Student Services’ Career and Planning Services (CAPS) and Advancement and Alumni Relations.

“There are many exciting careers you can pursue with a degree from the Faculty of Arts and Science,” says Susanne Thorup, manager of CAPS. “We brought in some people working in social media because it’s a really new field.”

“Careers in Social Media” is part of Career Planning Month, a constellation of events in March that are designed to help Concordia students ease into the workforce. The series includes “Networking and Social Media for Job Search” and  speed-sessions with mathematics, statistics, engineering and computer science professionals.

Among the “Careers in Social Media” panellists is Molly Kohli, BA 07, a web editor at CBC Montreal. She’s found navigating social networks to be a key component of her job.

“Social media tactics feed into our digital strategies as not only a necessary mechanism for pushing content out, but also, and arguably more importantly, for bringing engagement and interaction to our online space,” Kohli says.

But while a growing number of companies are relying on social platforms for everything from crafting campaigns to recruiting employees, and many new job opportunities have arisen as a result, Kohli cautions students against focusing too strongly on becoming social media experts.

“In my opinion, social media comes as part of a larger digital strategy. I think it's also important to hone other skills in the digital sphere, such as web development and languages, blogging, graphic design, audio and video production, analytics and research.”

To teach Concordians to market themselves and uncover work opportunities in their own social networks, CAPS is hosting workshops on March 13 and 26 about how to use social media in a job search.

In addition to learning to leverage these tools to advance their careers, attendees will be able to have a professional portrait taken — for use on LinkedIn — by one of the university’s professional photographers.

On March 17, students interested in careers in computer science and engineering will also be able to take advantage of a speed-networking session with professionals from both fields at an event co-hosted by CAPS and GradProSkills. And on March 27, CAPS is holding another career panel for students majoring in mathematics and statistics.

According to Thorup, this is a big step forward. “This is the first time we’ve ever focused our attention on networking for a whole month,” she says. “It's the time of year when students are looking for both jobs and internships, and having a strong network can really make the difference in landing that job interview.”
 

“Careers in Social Media” takes place on Wednesday, March 19, from 3 to 5 p.m. in Room H-763 of the Henry F. Hall (H) Building (1455 De Maisonneuve Blvd. W.) on the Sir George Williams Campus. This event is co-sponsored by Advancement and Alumni Relations.

The first “Networking and Social Media for Job Search” workshop takes place on Thursday, March 13, from 12 to 1:30 p.m. in Room H-440 of the Henry F. Hall (H) Building (1455 De Maisonneuve Blvd. W.) on the Sir George Williams Campus. A photo session will take place from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. Workshop attendance is mandatory for participation in the photo session.

The second “Networking and Social Media for Job Search” workshop takes place on Wednesday, March 26, from 10 to 11:30 a.m. in Room H-440 of the Henry F. Hall (H) Building (1455 De Maisonneuve Blvd. W.) on the Sir George Williams Campus. A photo session will take place from 12 to 3 p.m. Workshop attendance is mandatory for participation in the photo session.

The speed-networking event with engineering and computer science alumni takes place on Monday, March 17, from 5 to 7:30 p.m. in Room H-763 of the Henry F. Hall (H) Building (1455 De Maisonneuve Blvd. W.) on the Sir George Williams Campus. Dress code is business professional.

“Careers in Math and Statistics” takes place on Thursday, March 27, from 4:15 to 6:15 p.m. in room EV-2.260 of the Engineering, Computer Science and Visual Arts Integrated Complex (EV Building, 1515 Ste. Catherine St. W.) on the Sir George Williams Campus. This event is co-sponsored by Advancement and Alumni Relations.
 

Check out the full list of events at Concordia for Career Networking Month.