There’s more to social networking than Facebook

These days, practically everyone uses social networking sites. They make it easy to stay in touch without having to spend hours talking to each person, and they let you present yourself exactly as you want to be seen.

Professional networking sites are similar to Facebook and Myspace in the way they connect you to other people. But instead of connecting with personal contacts, professional sites connect you with the business community. Students from all over the world use these tools, and it’s never too early to start.

Building a solid profile takes time and effort if you want to make it worthwhile. Below are some dos and don’ts to ensure that your online profile is a stepping stone to success:

DON’T exaggerate your skills and experience. Though it might be acceptable to portray yourself as a black diamond skier on your Facebook page, you want to be careful not to exaggerate when it comes to your credentials on sites such as LinkedIn. A future employer would consider an embellished online profile as tantamount to lying on your resume to get an interview.

DO create a comprehensive, user-friendly profile. “Your online presentation of yourself is your virtual business card,” says author and professional speaker, Dave Taylor, in an article for The Business Blog at Intuitive.com. An incomplete profile says, “I’m not invested in networking through this site,” or worse, said Taylor, “I’m going to use this database to find people, but I won’t bother to include enough information about myself to indicate how I might assist anyone else.”

DON’T be pushy. Of course you’re there to promote yourself, but the best way to win friends is by being of service. Rather than pushing your products or services, try to be of assistance in other ways. Does someone have a question in your area of expertise? Offer some insight to help them with their problem, or guide them to resources or contacts that will help them find their answers. Chances are they’ll trust you enough to consider buying what you’re selling (if they’re ever in the market).

DO respect the network and your contacts. You wouldn’t call someone you’ve never met and ask them to hook you up with a business contact. Make sure you have at least a minimal connection with someone before trying to add them to your contacts. On the other hand, if someone contacts you and you’re not sure why or how they can help you, don’t just let the request hang out there in cyberspace. Offer them the opportunity to share more information with you — otherwise you risk being viewed as inaccessible or selfish. And you might be missing out on a mutually beneficial connection.

Looking to take your professional network online? Check out some of these sites:

Check out The Ohio Society of CPAs Guide to Social Media, and get connected today! For more tips, go to About.com and Amuta 2.0.