In our current technological era, digital platforms and social media have considerably changed how humans connect with one another. This also affects students as they exit university and enter the “real world.” 

Students today have access to digital platforms like never before and can use these platforms to help launch them into the professional atmosphere. Some common platforms students use are Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and even TikTok. These platforms allow students to seek out and connect with professionals, mentors, and peers in their perspective fields. 

LinkedIn has become the main platform for creating professional connections and growing networks. Still, something I find interesting is how TikTok has become a place for valuable connections to be made as well. 

TikTok’s algorithm is known for finding specific videos to keep users interested and spending more time on the app. If the user tries to interact with videos about potential career paths, the algorithm will show them more videos on that subject. This means that if someone is genuinely passionate about getting into a specific industry, they should create and interact with videos on TikTok to help support their goals. They should not abandon more traditional networking such as LinkedIn, but using new media as a supplement could be extremely useful in the highly competitive job market. 

On that note, students should consider making themself stand out while creating their PLN. In most industries, it is a valued skill to understand and use trends to your advantage, so students should use current trends in a tasteful way to make themselves more appealing to future employers. For example, if two students had the exact same achievements coming out of University, but one of those students used a traditional resume to apply to jobs and the other student used a digital resume with links to their social media pages showing that this industry is something they are passionate in I think the second student would be more likely to get the job. 

Some people prefer to keep their life offline, which is an entirely understandable decision, but if I were in charge of hiring someone and they appeared to have no social media, I would think they were trying to hide something. Having social media accounts has become the norm, so when someone appears to have no online presence, that is abnormal. 

If a potential employer were to look at my social media, I would not be ashamed of what they would see. I work a lot with older kids/ teens, so I know that they can see what I am posting and interacting with. I try to use my social media to show the best parts of myself and my life.