Best practices for social networking rookies?

[Liza Greene]

I admit, I am brand new to social learning. Brand new meaning I joined two social networking groups this very week. As the chapter president, I network (in the traditional sense) on a regular basks. Yet I am a true online rookie. Because “networking” is part of ASTD’s Four Focus Areas (the other three: Business Opportunities, Giving Back, Professional Development), and since this is new territory for me (and I am sure for others out there), what best practices/recommendations do you have for online networking?

[JHarlan]

Which groups did you join?

[Liza Greene]

This group and facebook.

[Kevin D. Jones]

Get on LinkedIn as well. Facebook is OK, but seems like more for fun. LinkedIn is more for professional networking.

[Christine Martell]

I agree with Kevin about Linkedin. You can also join the ASTD national group on Linkedin, as well as a number of other special interest groups.

[JHarlan]

I agree about LinkedIn as well. Facebook is a more social environment. LinkedIn is the best for making professional connections. I am also finding that I am growing my LinkedIn network as I meet and connect with new people through use of Twitter.

[Kevin D. Jones]

Do we not have a Cascadia chapter group? Or am I just not finding it?

[Christine Martell]

Not yet. Probably want to have it set up through the office so the contact information remains consistent.

[Liza Greene]

Great tip. I am now LinkedIn...feel free to connect with me!

[Sean Harry]

Welcome Liza! I am working on a blog post for using different social networking sites for different purposes. I'll try to get it up to the ASTD blog by Monday. Basically, I advocate being strategic about how and why we use any means of social networking. I use LinkedIn for a very specific purpose. I also use Plaxo and Facebook -- again, each for their own specific purposes. Each of my social network profiles, however, my personal "brand" is the same on all sites. That is to say, the "face" I present is intended to show the world the parts of me I want the world to see. If that doesn't make sense, just wait until I post the blog article! :-)

By the way, I am sponsoring a NING group that I would love to have all of you join -- http://careerxroads.ning.com/