Arindam Nag, Doria Lavagnino, and Sarah Bettencourt

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What is the role of social media in the life of a business graduate?

How you’re probably using social media not to get a job

● You snap a picture of your night out at the bar

● You’re Instagramming your food porn

● Liking your mom’s update on Facebook

● Avoiding the monotony of Twitter

● Categorizing LinkedIn as a lamer version of Facebook

How you should be using social media to get a job

● Facebook groups for a job or internship. Sarah’s Favorites.

● LinkedIn to build your resume. Yes, your future employer is following you on LinkedIn and weighing your worth. Let’s review.

● Twitter to connect with other millennials and brands.

● Instagram to show us who you are, what you’re doing, and how you’re doing all these things professionally.

● Snapchat, tell us your story.

How Can You Harness The Power of Social Media to Propel Yourself into The Real World?

Create a platform for yourself by becoming an “expert”

● Choose 1 to 3 areas of expertise● What is the “one thing” that everyone says you rock at?

● EX: Social Media Marketing, Speaking, Teaching, Coaching

● What are your passions and interests?

● What do you read about most often online?

● Will you still be interested in this particular area six months or a year from now?

● Follow a few bloggers that have this idea down.● Follow social profiles that emulate what you’re trying to achieve.● On the next page there are a few brands to follow that might help in your

journey.

Now, Let’s Talk About Branding Yourself

Keep the same name, profile, pic, imagery, and look across your social profiles

How I Brand Myself

Why Does Branding Myself Matter? Can’t People Accept Me For Me?

Yes ● Employers love diversity

● Employers want creative minds

● Employers look for out of the box thinking (yes it’s cliché)

● Employers are focused on how you innovatively promote yourself on social media

No● Your social presence isn’t

professional

● You’re inexperienced

● You’re probably invested in you more than the company

Why Should I Position Myself on Social Media?

● Employers are looking for employees through Facebook and LinkedIn

● Employers want to know they can truly trust you

● Employers want to know you can DO the job

● Employers have misconceptions about millennials

The fact that you’re a millennial doesn’t have to be a roadblock so long as we use the social media tools available to us to our advantage. Be smarter than the machine. Show your future employer how valuable you are.

How Do You Add Value to What You’re Doing Now?

Sarah’s five steps to creating value without spending big bucks...

Step One – Create Your Persona● How did I achieve this?

● I made a vision board

● I consulted a mentor

● I did my research

● I sketched it out (literally)

● Positioned myself as a Mompreneur, social media maven, and adventure seeker

● What does this mean for you? For me...

● I created a way to show my business and entrepreneur-savvy mindset, to demonstrate my

skill sets and ability to market brands using social tools. I also include personal tidbits that humanize me. (Employers like being able to connect with you.)

Step Two – Get a Freakin’ Website

● Go to Wordpress.com and create a website

● Why? It adds VALUE to you as a person. Employers see millennials as valuable assets if they wear many hats and are flexible. For me it’s:

● Designing Websites – not coding

● Graphic Design

● Writing Skills

● Position myself as a professional on LinkedIn

● Create a professional persona

● An employer is more likely to hire you if you can show them why you’re better. Let’s check out my website for a sec… TheBlondeSpot.me

Step Three - Write Blogs, Consistently

● Now, I’m not saying become an expert journalist but...

● Write about things that matter to you. Employers want to see that you’re capable of communicating your thoughts and ideas, and do so constructively.

● No, you don’t have to be “Huffington Post” or “Buzzfeed Famous”

● Just be real, be yourself, and show off your strengths without seeming arrogant.

Step Four – Spread Your Personal Brand● Share your pieces on:

● Syndicate your pieces to your LinkedIn Profile through your publishing platform

● Post on social media consistently (list from Buffer.com):

● Facebook – 2 times per day

● Twitter – 5 times per day

● LinkedIn – 1 time per day

● Google+ – 2 times per day

● Pinterest – 5 times per day

● Instagram – 1.5 times per day

● Snapchat – 3 times per day

● Keep in mind that there is no magic number of posts, it’s all about being genuine and understanding that Rome wasn’t built in a day. Your brand has to have organic engagement.

Step Five – Make Genuine Online Connections With Other People in Your Area of Expertise● How I do it:

● Facebook groups – I’m apart of many mom groups, female entrepreneur groups, and a personal fave — The D.O.N.E Society. In FB groups be authentic.

● LinkedIn groups – social media expert groups, ASU alumni groups, financial education groups, female entrepreneur groups

● CentSai Chat – As the social media manager for CentSai, I have a unique opportunity to speak with many people in the personal finance space as well as fellow millennials. I’m the moderator and team player here.

● I go out for coffee — I meet people offline and grab a coffee with them—a drink where it’s appropriate. If they’re in a different state, I get visual with them and join a Hangout. If you don’t know what Hangouts is, look it up – you’ll need it for virtual meetings.

How You Can Get Started● Follow the five steps

● Seek out a mentor

● Read about entrepreneurship, managing your finances, and life on CentSai.com. No this isn’t a shameful plug it’s the hardcore truth. There’s no other site out there that gets real with you about all things money.

● Do your research — look for helpful tools that will get you where you want to go.

Want exclusive access to these tips?Email me - Sarah@CentSai.com