Top ways to use social media to increase productivity

As the modern century continues to evolve into a technologically driven society, the educated use of social media has never been as important of a skill. Social media is no longer an optional tool for mere entertainment but has persisted to prove as a vital resource when engaging in the process of career exploration, professional interaction, and studious course.

It is nearly essential that all persons be able to understand and utilize the value of a social media platform, and as the technological advancements continue to increase, it is of utmost importance to keep oneself as updated and informed as possible. In a survey performed by the Pew Research Center, it was found that participants claiming it would be hard to give up social media increased by 12 percentage points compared to a survey conducted four years prior in 2014. In all, there remained a majority of 54% who claim that a social media detox would not be difficult at all.

However, the rising percentages of social media users indicated a dependency towards apps of all kinds and lead to a move technologically sophisticated society that understands a newfound approach to interaction and expression. Statistica: The Statistics Portal demonstrates that Northern America has the highest usage of social networking in the world, with an average calculating to 77% in comparison to the global average of 42%. In the United States, alone, 77% of the population admits to having a social media platform equalling to 209 million individuals in the year 2017, placing the nation third in the world behind that of China and India. 

With the increasing trend of social media platforms growing, it is projected that by 2022, the number of social media interactions in the United States will increase to 221 million- a 12 million person increase in the span of 5 years. Social media is a growing epidemic that contains positive resources and opportunities, and in the advancement of society occurring at an alarming rate, the need for versatility and proficiency in its workings have never been of higher urgency.

Social media productivity is both relevant and persistent aspect of the current career field. In the modern system of locating and landing desired careers, a presence on social media not only has to be established but nearly perfect, as well. The use of social media in the correct manner extends a representation of yourself to potential employers, making yourself both vulnerable but advantageous. 

It is a tri-fold mechanism when used in an employment aspect.

• One: you have resources available to discover more specific and generated positions pertaining to one given interest. 

• Two: social media provides further insight into the company of interest, but just as well gives the employer an understanding of who you are as an individual. Thus, it offers more information as a potential employee that extends far from a general application or interview. 

• Three: social media is now an upcoming and trending career field, and even the basic understanding of its potential is beneficial to the futuristic values of society.

We will discuss all three factors in-depth, but all components work together in correlation to influence a shift in the procedure for career searching and job obtaining.

Social media offers numerous advantages when undergoing career research, providing aid for both the general search, resumes, and specific profiling. Pew Research associates LinkedIn a popular resource among college students and higher-income households, with some 50% of Americans have obtained a college degree familiar with the app.

LinkedIn, a strictly professional social networking site with more than 562 million users located in more than 200 countries internationally, works to provide career opportunities by connecting contacts and professionals for career advancement. From finding employment to strengthening professional relationships, it offers the opportunity to present oneself to increase their own potential in the competitiveness of the career industries.

Finding common ground on the LinkedIn site provides another resource for evaluation, and if used responsibly can open a potential career path. The networking community is built on a foundation of connections and associations and a social media presence extends the introduction of oneself to a larger platform. The more connections one has available, the more opportunities that are likely to advance one to a higher position. 

LinkedIn offers members a profile page that illustrates one's employment history, emphasized their given skills, and lists prior levels of education, setting the general underpinnings of an individual's starting and most basic potential. In addition, websites such as Indeed.com offer a listing of current job positions needed in a specific field and location, offering estimated salaries, job descriptions, requirements, and application upon intend of the individual in search. By narrowing down the specifics that entail a given position and giving a condensed recommendation of careers best apt to their tailored skills.

Beneficial, as well, to employers, as Indeed.com offers employers a site to post openings for needed positions, opening the availability to a more diverse population of potential employees. One-click is now all that is required to generate a precise finding of careers, particularized to individual concentration. It establishes a vast and versatile field for discovery and opportunity, increasing the spectrum of, now, numerous prospective pathways available without the quantitative measures of a networking development. 

However, with such a personal representation of self on a public platform, social media must also be utilized with the utmost amount of caution. Usage of networking apps such as Instagram, Snapchat, Twitter, and Facebook are common forms of modern-day entertainment, keeping “friends” and “followers” updated on personal lives and opinions, and portray more intently on character than many initially realize as they post, snap, share, or tweet. Twitter followers, for example, provide a platform for sharing opinions and updates, shaping online identity through each tweet.

Seemingly harmless, the concepts and visuals posted under one's name becomes a direct reflection of their character, values, and integrity. It displays more of a correlation towards their inner identity, reflecting aspects of life that are held to the most importance. 

Depending on the category and intensity of shared content of social media platform, potential dangers may arise to counteract a person's credibility, thus harming potential employment or acceptance into colleges or universities. It has not been uncommon for resurfaced social media content to present an issue questioning an individual's morality, harming an image they did not intentionally mean to convey.

Social media is an extension of the person behind the profile, and any public content is offered for public judgment and scrutiny. Many applications for both education and careers require a list of all usernames for social media, examining profiles in addition to the presented material on the applications. Often, it is the opinion of the higher authorities of the presented social content that dictates approval.

To the younger generation, this often comes as a frightening aspect of future acceptance to their preferred school or career field. A 2016 study by Common Sense Media census report comments that about 50% of children in the United States have some type of social media by the age of twelve years old. The internet offers immense freedom for individuals of such a young age, and thus, are counteracted with the lurking dangers behind the entertainment factors that are most appealing. 

Derived from Top Ten Reviews, 86% of social networking teens comment on a friend’s wall (Facebook). Similarly, 83% admit to commenting on photos. Seemingly harmless, but remain public for more to see than the intended recipient of the comments. Nothing on the internet is made private, and it is always available to outside viewers to read and comprehend, and therefore provide insight on tarnishing of reputations.

With children as young as twelve years old becoming introduced to the workings of social media, it is understandable that maturity will come as they age to question posts made in the younger years. What was seemingly harmless or a simple joke at one age comes about as embarrassing and, potentially, harmful upon a more adult perception. 

A Kaplan Test Prep survey research that of over 350 college admissions, 35% look and consider an applicants social media presence to develop a more rounded understanding of them. While this may have positive effects for prospective students, a clean profile indicating greater potential and character, it runs the risk of the opposite. 

In 2017, Harvard University revoked the admission of ten incoming students upon discovery of involvement in offensive material shared in a Facebook private message. It is not uncommon for prospective student-athletes to lose scholarship from the school they committed to due to hazardous behavior on social media. 

Source: www.twitter.com

A tweet from football coach Herb Hand in July of 2014 tweeted, “Dropped another prospect this AM due to his social media presence...Actually glad I got to see the ‘real’ person before we offered him”. Keeping a clean social media profile is what makes an all-around reputation upstanding. While it can present a unique advantage, it must be used with caution and personal awareness. Take advantage of all it's self-advancing properties, utilized in a responsible manner that reflects the good character and level reputation.

Lastly, social media, itself, is an up and coming trend as its own personalized career field. As it becomes for habitual in everyday life, the need arises for professional insight to assist the intended platform on appealing to a particular argument. Particularly, this arises from an interest in journalism, communication, marketing, or public relations, keeping options widespread in interest and flexible in general appeal.

Management in the social media branching is vital for all businesses, corporations, and organizations to successfully portray their message and purpose, effectively appealing to the demographics they are most likely trying to entice. Whether for a higher entity of personal progression, social media has the substance to either grow or deflate a platform, and thus it is important to implement it in a favorable visual for those prospective customers, associates, or viewers. A strong social media appearance makes for stronger potential.

In personal experience with using social media as a platform for individual professional expanture, it is through social media that I made the proper connections to successfully self-publish my first young adult novel. It is where a community was formed to connect with other developing authors, where a proper platform was established to begin promotion of my book, and where continuous updates continue to post to keep myself relevant in the fast-paced updates of the media.

Working with Instagram and Twitter, primarily, have given me the opportunity to establish a name for myself in the beginning stages of a future career. It is through these sites, used in a networking sense, that set the beginning foundation for increasing my popularity as a writer. By connecting with other writers, I have had the pleasure of participating in many, many discussions surrounding the topics of marketing, promotion, and publishing. I’ve been able to collaborate with others in my genre to edit and critic current works, giving me a chance to learn and expand on my own talents.

It has been useful in the sense that it provides a space to expand out to further than my own home town, placing my name and book all over the country and a few international countries, as well. With all the available platforms enable for free use, there are limited excuses to not taking full advantage of them.

Sites including Weebly and Wix provide space for free website creation, allowing the opportunity for the beginning stages of self-promotion in a more professional look. I have dabbled in both, myself, making the most of their allowances to establish my own blog. It is another form of promotion that focuses on my works as a self-publishing author but also sets the groundwork to expand my writing from fictional to a realistic and personal sentiment. 

Social media is a unique way to express oneself and establish a footing in the increasing competitiveness of the career and educational field. Used in a responsible and presentable manner, it has the influence to expand on professional connection and establish an advantage to provide an edge over competing opponents.

In modern society, social media is an inescapable force. Technology is ever-evolving, and with that will come more complex forms of communication and networking. Proficiency in this format is essential for maintaining relevancy and keeping positioned as a contender in one’s field of interest. 

While it can be used as a form of entertainment, there is no denying its accountability in the role of job positioning, career hiring, and professional contacting. It enables flexibility and adaptability, giving space to present an image of yourself perceived as hireable and likable.

Overall, a social media presence is a presentation of you, and just as a first impression is essential in face to face contact, an online first impression is indispensable. Powerful, influential, and expansive, it is time to allow yourself a fighting chance in the world within our fingertips. Social media is the most productive form of help you can provide yourself, and it will only continue to increase its dependability. 

From social to educational to career aspects, a social media presence is what best contributes to defining you in the modern-day values. It is your first impression in the same sense that it could be your last. Make it responsible. Make it valuable.

Use social media to your advantage and don’t waste another second ignoring the blatant statistics proving its heightened reliance is everyday function. Learn how to implement it. This is twenty-first-century networking. This is the future of productivity. Become proficient, become professional, and take your life by the reigns. Social media mastery is, now, the first step in success in contemporary times.