5 Social Networking Sites Every Business Professional NEEDS To Be On
Mentoria
Last Updated: August 31, 2022
What is Professional Networking?
Professional networking is the process of forming connections with other professionals in your field as well as related fields. A strong professional network can help you in your job hunt and career advancement.
Humans are social animals. We can barely go a day without communicating and socialising. Networking is an inevitable part of our daily lives.
Consider this: you’re in class and realise you forgot to complete your assignment. Who would you turn to for help? Your friends and classmates, right? Similarly, when you wish to seek advice about a particular course you would like to pursue, wouldn’t you reach out to your family members or elder siblings or relatives? This is essentially networking.
Now, let’s look at networking from a professional angle. Professional networking is building relationships with other professionals who may or may not be from the same field of interest as yours.
As a student, there are all chances you might not get all the necessary information about a career you’re pursuing from close acquaintances and colleagues. Connecting with industry professionals can help you gain insights into every aspect of a discipline/business/profession.
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Benefits of Professional Networking
– Job offers
– Freelance and internship opportunities
– Insights into how things ‘really work’ in professional organisations
– Access to events and workshops that could prove beneficial and more.
Helpful Professional Networking Apps
Most of us are active on social media these days. Why don’t you check out a few professional networking sites/apps that could help you broaden career opportunities for you or even give you a deeper understanding of your career path? Here, take a look:
It is India’s first and leading business and career networking site. You can use the network to enhance your career prospects, discover business opportunities, build relationships with new contacts and create effective online identities.
ApnaCircle.com helps you identify the right job options, and the employer to bring the right kind of professional on board. You can actively network, micro-blog and participate in the Q & A sessions with experts from across the continents. Through ApnaCircle.com, you will be able to widen your circle of contacts and be more visible to industry professionals and experts.
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YSI helps create professional identities for students like you, working professionals, job seekers and providers as well as organisations such as schools, NGOs, companies, etc. An initiative by IIT-BHU graduates, YSI offers many interesting features like career counselling, courses pertaining to various fields, job and internship opportunities for students. Its main aim is to equip the young adults of today with the necessary skills required in the practical and corporate world.
(Image Source: youngskilledindia.com)
Heard of Tinder, the dating app? Shapr is a tad similar to it. The major difference being, it will match you with a professional and land you a business date. It will introduce you to five matches every day and you can swipe left or right to reject or accept these connections and chat with them. The app lets you select up to 50 people you know well enough to share your network with. They will be known as your “Inner Circle”, and they then receive access to your connections.
Another feature called the “Shapeline” offers a more public, collaborative feed where you can offer advice, share opportunities, and further build your relationships.
(Image Source: shapr.co)
When talking about professional networking, how can we not mention LinkedIn? It is the most widely used business and employment-oriented platform. The site enables you to ‘connect’ with various professionals, influencers and companies you admire. It keeps you updated with the latest business and industry news. You can publish, post and share articles that interest you, with your connections. In addition to this, you can search and apply for jobs while on the go by sharing your resume on the app.
Brimming with ideas for a start-up? LinkedIn is also a great platform to market your product or brand. Your LinkedIn profile can speak volumes for you, your skills and achievements.
Just as the name suggests in Hindi, the site brings you ‘everything’ you need. It is an innovative networking and education portal which enables its users to access all their networking requirements at one place.
Sabakuch.com gives users the convenience to deal with their personal and professional contacts on a single portal. The entire domain brings you the best of three worlds – personal entertainment (O-zone), social networking (My-zone), and professional networking (Biz-zone).
You can unleash your intellectual avatar, speak your mind, express your ideas, post pictures and video links for your followers to see at O-zone.
My-zone enables you to socialise with your kith and kin and build your personal virtual social network. You can make friends and create groups based on your likes and interests.
The Biz-zone is where you connect with industry experts and professionals. It opens a world of opportunities, connecting employers and job-seekers.
And that’s not all, this unique platform also provides interactive e-learning facilities as well as music, images and chat messenger services.
(Image Source: sabakuch.com)
Final Thoughts
In this digital age, professional networking apps sure seem like a boon that brings the best of the professional world closer to you. Platforms like these will only help you put you on the fast lane to professional success. So what are you waiting for? Start building your online profile on these sites now and seize every opportunity that comes your way.
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