Social media isn’t just for fun — it can be a powerful tool for networking and career growth. Learn how to use it with purpose to build connections and open doors after college.
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Approved and verified accurate by the assistant vice president of GCU Marketing on Dec. 18, 2024.
The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author’s and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Grand Canyon University. Any sources cited were accurate as of the publish date.
Before diving into how to use social media for networking, there are a few things you need to keep in mind. First, you’ll want to keep your personal profiles and your professional profiles strictly separate. If you do have any personal social media accounts, be sure to use the strictest possible privacy settings — you don’t want future employers, colleagues or others to see social media posts that might not always cast you in the most professional light.
The next step is to consider exactly which platforms are worth using for social media networking purposes. At the very least, you’ll likely want to develop a presence on LinkedIn, which is used widely by professionals and companies in all sorts of fields and industries.
You might also want to develop a presence on one or two other platforms. Consider major platforms, like Instagram, as well as emerging platforms, such as Bluesky, Threads and Mastodon.
While it's worth considering a range of social media platforms, you won't want to spread yourself too thin. You may find it more effective to be consistently active on just one or two platforms rather than sporadically active on a handful of them. (While you're a student, your schoolwork still comes first!)
As a college student, you may have been told that it’s important to stay off social media so that you can focus on your schoolwork. But what about using social media with purpose? Social media networking can actually be beneficial for life after college — and you can get started right now.
Here, you can discover how to leverage social media for career growth and professional development.
No matter what your future holds, you can begin preparing for it at Grand Canyon University. GCU offers a broad selection of bachelor’s degree programs in fields such as business and management, engineering and technology, nursing, medical science, psychology and many more. Fill out the form on this page to connect with a university counselor and find a degree program that’s right for you.
Corporations and nonprofits alike all have a unique brand, and so can people. A personal brand is an intentional attempt to set yourself apart from others, such as by painting you as either an up-and-coming professional in your field or an established thought leader. A personal brand can help you become more widely recognizable within your industry, and it may also help support you as you work toward positioning yourself for possible career advancement.
A personal brand doesn’t develop overnight. It takes time, effort and consistency. Social media is one avenue for building your brand. In all that you do in these digital spaces, remember to be:
X, formerly known as Twitter, has been losing a significant volume of users in late 2024; however, despite the drop in membership, X still offers opportunities to use social media for professional networking.2
Consider the following tools:
Hashtags are a useful feature of X. When uploading posts, you can use hashtags to increase the chances that your posts will be seen by a relevant audience. For example, if you're uploading a post on mechanical engineering, you might include the hashtags #engineering and #mechanicalengineering.
Similarly, you can enter keywords in the search field to find conversations about those topics. Then, all you have to do is join in the conversation to connect to others in your field.
X chats are pre-scheduled conversations that may be recurring. They tend to center on a specific theme. For example, a marketing group might host a chat on recent changes to Google’s algorithm and how it affects search volume.
You can look for upcoming chats that explore topics of professional interest to you. These chats provide plenty of opportunities for interaction with the participants, and you might also find new accounts that you’d like to follow. Focus on contributing insightful remarks to the conversation and connecting to others in your field.
Instagram has a significant digital presence, with more than two billion monthly users as of 2024.3 This social media platform focuses heavily on visual storytelling. Each post must include a visual element, which can either be a still image or a video.
While future professionals in a wide range of fields can use Instagram for professional networking, it may be particularly well-suited to individuals whose work will involve a visual element. This includes future web designers, graphic designers, dancers and retail professionals. (Of course, Instagram offers plenty of opportunities to other professionals as well — from healthcare to hospitality.)
Consider the following tips for using Instagram:
Even if you haven’t graduated yet, you can use Instagram to build a professional portfolio. Use the visual storytelling tools to highlight major projects you’ve completed.
First, you’ll need to identify relevant accounts and follow them. Try to follow people from your field, such as thought leaders, as well as organizations. Use the “like” button and offer comments to engage with their posts and respond to their Stories.
Then, if you’re interested in connecting further, you could initiate a direct message (DM). Introduce yourself and explain why you’re reaching out. Be sure to keep your DM brief and to the point.
Be sure to offer insightful content, including Instagram Stories, on your own profile, as well. Just be sure to only use the “Stories” feature on some of your content. Each Story will automatically disappear after 24 hours.
You may already know that one of the reasons why students are often advised to build a professional network is because one of their contacts may very well turn out to be a future employer. Or, one of their contacts may refer them to a future employer.
However, there are other reasons why you should consider using social media for professional networking. Career growth is facilitated not only by applying to higher-level positions as you gain experience but also by professional development.
Through social media, you can play to your strengths and interests by learning about emerging trends, challenges and solutions in your field. You can explore what thought leaders in your field have to say about a range of issues. One day, if you offer insightful content, you might even be considered to be a thought leader.
LinkedIn is a robust social media networking platform with more than one billion members across over 200 countries and territories. It was designed specifically to serve as a professional networking tool.1 Because of its robust membership volume, there is a good chance that at least some of your future employers and coworkers will be on the platform.
You may already be familiar with LinkedIn as a place to build a digital resume. Indeed, some companies may ask you for your LinkedIn handle rather than a physical copy of your resume. However, LinkedIn offers much more than a digital space to park your accomplishments.
On LinkedIn, you can work toward building an expansive network by requesting to connect with other people and by accepting invitations to connect. You can also upload posts, such as posts on recent trends in your field, field-specific concepts you find interesting and professional advice. In addition, you can join LinkedIn groups.
LinkedIn groups offer a place to connect with others in your field or industry or with similar interests. You can find a group for practically any area — from freelance writing to artificial intelligence and beyond. Spend some time looking for one or two LinkedIn groups that best fit your intended career path and interests.
Then, join and introduce yourself. Try to be an active participant by reviewing group activity every week or so, commenting on posts and uploading posts yourself. This can be a great way to reach out to other professionals.
One way to use social media for professional networking is to try to connect to industry leaders. The first step to using social media to connect to industry leaders is to build a complete profile (resume), share and post insightful content and become active in professional groups. Along the way, you can identify potential leaders to reach out to.
When you’re ready, you can send them a connection request. Include a note that introduces yourself and explains why you’d like to connect.
By this point, you know the fundamentals of using three major platforms for networking: LinkedIn, X and Instagram. However, some social media networking platforms are specific to certain fields or industries. It may be worth your while to spend some time looking for online forums and similar platforms in your field.
Consider the following:
