Social Media Health: 10 Tips for Maintaining a Healthy Social Media Presence to Aid in a Sustainable Career

Social media can be a powerful tool for expanding your professional network and ultimately your career.  But it’s important to use it wisely. Inappropriate usage can have severe consequences, including long-lasting damage to your reputation and loss of employment.

10 Social Media Tips to Boost Your Healthcare Career

Not quite sure how to navigate social media platforms such as Instagram, YouTube and Facebook? Use these 10 tips to create a strong social media presence that complement your healthcare career:

1. Keep it Positive:
   It’s important to remember that you’re sharing your social media profiles with the world, so keep all your posts positive. If you’re having a bad day, talk to a friend about it rather than sharing your frustrations on Facebook.
2. Don’t Share Anything Inappropriate:
   Racy photos and moderately crude commentary may be amusing to your friends, but they can damage your professional reputation.
3. Follow Thought Leaders:
   Look for influential healthcare leaders to follow and connect with on Twitter and LinkedIn. Not only can these people serve as valuable resources, you also can learn from their posts.
4. Share Valuable Content:
   Position yourself as an industry expert by sharing relevant content and initiating thought-provoking discussions on current healthcare topics. Employers looking at your profile will be impressed to see that you’re so passionate about your work.
5. Avoid Posting on Controversial Subjects:
   Refrain from posting on subjects such as politics and religion as much as possible. Remain objective and considerate if you must comment on sensitive topics.
6. Monitor Your Name:
   Perform periodic checks for your name on search engines and social media sites. If you discover anything incriminating, delete it. If you don’t have access, kindly request that the owner remove it.
7. Push Unflattering Web Results “Below the Fold”:
   If you’re unable to remove certain pieces of information that appear about you in search engines, practice reputation management to push it “below the fold” or off the first page of results by creating new social media profiles, blogs, relevant directory listings and anything else to improve your social presence.
8. Examine Your Profiles from an Outsider’s Prospective:
   Take a step back and review each of your social media profiles from a third-person prospective. Make sure they appear professional and portray you in a positive manner.
9. Use LinkedIn as an Online Resume:
   Create a comprehensive profile on LinkedIn that includes details about all of your professional experience. Search LinkedIn groups to find networking opportunities, as well as possible mentors.
10. Join Social Networks for Healthcare Professionals:
    Though anyone can join sites such as LinkedIn, there are multiple social-networking sites specifically designed for healthcare professionals, such as DoctorsHangout, IMedExchange and MedicalMingle.

Siezing the Opportunities:

Social media removes the distance barrier and puts information about others in the healthcare field at your fingertips. When used as a professional tool, it can help you enhance your reputation, grow your career network and stay current with the latest Health 2.0 news in the industry.