Social Networking Sites

I find writing opportunities are plentiful in NYC's subway. During the train ride to work, a woman sitting next to me handed me her business card. It said Mary Kay - the skin care company. And while she proceeded to inquire about the makeup and skin care products I used, I couldn't help but stare at the woman who sat directly across from me. The 20-something woman meticulously applied primer, foundation, liner, mascara, and lipstick for twenty-minutes. I was impressed with the skill and steadiness of her hands. The train was not a smooth ride as it navigated through the tunnels, and screeched against metal tracks to halt at each station. She managed through this, plus the bumps of passengers sandwiching her as they swayed to the motion of the train.

I kindly declined the woman's offer to attend a Mary Kay event (my skin care regimen is on the simpler side: my cosmetics case includes lip gloss and chapstick and I use only one product line for my skin care). As she thanked me for listening, she expressed that she was looking to boost her business with more clients. I wished her good luck and went back to reading my book. Then, I realized something. Why didn't she pitch the young woman sitting across from us - at least to give her a business card. This was clearly a case of inappropriate marketing. She wouldn't get a sale from me. But, she avoided targeting the obvious makeup product junkie .

I asked her if she had tried social networking sites (SNSs). She replied that she was not associated with any and didn't know why they might be useful. I offered her some advice about using these sites to reach out to more people as well as to link to people who may have great marketing tips.

The opportunities for social networking sites are endless and can be tailored to suit your needs. Though I started writing family-service pieces (e.g. PTA moms, kids and science, family-oriented activities) my writing interests have taken a turn toward more health and medical pieces. With a busy schedule working at a medical publishing company, freelance work as a science research assistant for a writer, and pitching article ideas, I found that Twitter is the best SNS for me (along with a few writing community websites). The snippets of information I get from science, medical and health websites help to keep me in the loop about what's new in the industry. And I also "friend" magazines that I'd like to write for. This helps because if I'm thinking of an idea to pitch and notice it's the topic du jour among the magazine's tweets, it saves me a lot of time pitching an idea that's already been covered. Bottom line: Use SNSs based on your objectives whether you're trying to connect with other people you know; follow your favorite celebrities; find work opportunities; or increase visibility for your business. Just as social networking sites may help you, avoiding them can set limitations on your goals. Here's a brief overview of the various SNSs:

Facebook (FB)is a social site that's great for connecting with people you know (e.g. old high school friends or acquaintances from an event). You can post blogs, updates, pictures and more. But proceed with caution. If you happen to stumble across someone on FB who's a recruiter at a company you'd love to work for I don't send a friend request. Check out the page first. Is the person's page set up with posts that are related to work issues and updates; or is it filled with friend posts and social information. If it's the former try sending the person a private message instead; otherwise, look for the person on LinkedIn or another professional networking site.

Twitteroffers subscribers a chance to post, share and find information relatively quickly. Through short bursts of 140 character posts people can check out what's new with friends, organizations and more. Certain sites like Tweetajob.com is a platform for recruiters to post job openings. But, you should always do your homework before responding to any job offer.

LinkedIn isn't the site you go to for a blast from the past. It's more of a networking site than a place to meet friends. Of course, you may come across an old college roommate who's a recruiter or in a position to refer you to someone else for a job . However, this site is focused more on professionals looking for work.

Ning.comis a social networking site that is associated with various industries and associations. If you can't find a match, Ning offers you an opportunity to create your own network for free.

While all these sites (and others) may be useful for networking to some degree, their effectiveness in helping you reach your career goals varies. So it's best to understand how each site works and whether or not it's the best match for your objectives. How do you use social networking sites?