Interning and Social Media

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As an intern, it’s important to maintain a professional edge on social media.  Having social network profiles on the internet can make you somewhat exposed to employers, whether present or potential.  Because of this, you should always present yourself properly on the internet.  Utilizing various social media sources can help you maintain an internship, improve as an intern, create connections, and make yourself known to companies and potential employers.

It’s easy for employers to find people on websites like Facebook, so keep that in mind if your profile and activity are set to public.  It’s always best to just keep everything clean!  Add to your marketability by listing past or present jobs and internships under your employment, include your current college and major under education, and list relevant work areas under your interests.  The majority of companies have Facebook pages now, so search for the company you’re interning with, and “like” their page.  This can keep you in their line of vision and allow you to find out about any company updates or announcements they post.  Also consider liking similar industries’ pages for updates and marketability.  Twitter should be dealt with in a similar way— keep a professional appearance, and follow companies and industries of relevance. Connecting with your employer and industry on social media will help you stay up-to-date and in the know, and you can also contribute by posting and commenting on articles you find interesting to your profiles that may relate to your field.

In addition to your average social media websites, there are some great professional social media resources that can really assist with internships and potential jobs.  Creating a profile on LinkedIn is easy and worth your time.  This social network allows you to connect with past and present employers, and remain in touch.  It’s an excellent place for making connections with people in your related industry.  In addition, there are experts on the site that are there to help answer questions and give advice concerning various fields of study and professional industries.

If you’re the creative type, Intern Sushi is a great site to check out.  This innovative social network is designed for helping people get and maintain internships in some of the “hardest-to-break-into industries” such as advertising, web, and publishing.  Rather than posting the standard written resume, Intern Sushi is a platform for posting resumes digitally in video format.  It’s vital to talk about relevant work experience, education, and interests in the digital resumes, but there’s also a lot of room for creativity.  This is a great way to catch employers’ eyes.  In addition, the site helps you keep track of applications, interviews, and job openings.  Already have an internship?  Intern Sushi offers helpful information, advice, and tools to keep interns organized and on top of their game.

Nowadays, many employers even require social media work as part of their interns’ duties.  Maintaining a strong web presence is important for companies, so it’s key to use social media in the most effective way possible.  Get ahead of the game by using social media in more professional ways on your own time, and be prepared for the possibility of doing some social media work at an internship.

So remember:

  • As an intern, stay connected with your company by following blogs and pages on sites like Facebook and Twitter— when you can keep track of relevant news and announcements, you’ll always be up-to-date.
  • Help out with publicizing your company by liking pages and posts, and sharing them on the pertaining social media sites.
  • Create a web presence for yourself to help you stay connected with professionals, and to increase chances of scoring another internship.

Even if it’s not part of your interning job description, being proactive and professional with social media can help you grown in your position!