Unless you have spent an extended length of time in a sensory deprivation chamber, chances are you have at least heard of the phenomenon known as social media. You probably have a Facebook account and maybe you Tweet (or maybe not), and you may have at least seen the light blue logo with the ‘in’ in the middle of it. LinkedIn declares itself to be the world’s largest professional network and is ‘the’ social media platform for professional life. Think Facebook with work-only content. Like many professionals, those in the medical industry spend an extraordinary amount of time and money on their education and training and hopefully find their first job shortly thereafter. Dealing with an intense profession can be challenging enough; is there really a need to be social media proficient as well?

The answer is yes, and here’s why:

Regardless of your profession, position, or industry, social media is a tool for you to engage in professional development, increase your professional network, and build an online presence. This can seem overwhelming to the novice, but it really doesn’t have to be. Here are some of the ways that social media can benefit you as well as some very easy things to do to get started.

Education and development:  Social Media platforms are treasure troves of information. LinkedIn in particular has thousands of new articles every day on every topic imaginable. There is also access to webinars, events, and other items of interest.

Expanding your network:  There are several different ways to use social media to expand your network. First, you can connect with people you already know professionally. The process is simple. You enter a person’s name in the search tab, verify it’s them, and invite them to connect. A simple rule of thumb is that if someone has given you a business card, it is appropriate to connect with them. Don’t spam strangers. Although LinkedIn allows you to import your contact list, you will annoy your non-Linkedin contacts if you blast them with requests to sign up for LinkedIn and then connect with you. Another way to expand your network is through groups. There are groups for every profession known to humankind on Linkedin.  When you join a group, you are a member of the numerous ongoing discussions within the group. Groups will give you exposure to current trends, thoughts, and other people in your profession, which is the essential part of networking.

Building your presence:  If you were to enter the average person’s name in a Search engine, likely the first thing to emerge would be their LinkedIn Profile. This means that if potential clients, recruiters or employers are trying to find you, LinkedIn will be how they do it. For this reason, it benefits you to have a distinctive presence. This is done through not only a current profile, numerous endorsements, and relevant recommendations, but also by the content you contribute.  If you are a writer, LinkedIn is a great platform to circulate your white papers or articles. You can also join in group discussions or comment on other posts and articles.  All these things add to your online credibility, which does, believe it or not, matter.  No matter what your professional situation, or your goals, you will be well served by always having a current resume and social media profile. Failing to do so puts you at a disadvantage and may eliminate opportunities you do not even know exist.

So how do you get started? It’s not difficult. It’s easy and free to register for a LinkedIn account and very intuitive. The bigger part is ensuring you build a professional profile. Your LinkedIn profile is essentially your online resume, so the same rules apply:

• Focus on achievements
• Use action-oriented language, focusing on what you have done for your employers
• Employ professional wording with impeccable grammar
• You will want to utilize key words that capture your professional abilities, but do not sacrifice readability for key words (as some SEO experts might recommend)
• Choose a professional picture

So consider yourself challenged, and don’t be intimidated. There are over 300 million LinkedIn users, and although many of them are, in fact, rocket scientists and brain surgeons, the system itself is self-explanatory. When used correctly, it’s a great career tool.