The Importance Of Networking and LinkedIn

Networking is essential if you are working in the radio industry.

I would not have survived the first day of my first internship (which led to my first job) if I had not kept in contact with my former bosses. Here is my real life example from the promotions department of a major market radio station. My boss, the Promotions Director, gave me an assignment to find three challenging promotional items that he was interested in investing in. 

Item #1-> A Spinning Prize Wheel

Item #2-> An Inflatable Wind Tunnel

Item #3-> A Pink Rotating Vehicle Dome Light

I was in a panic. At the end of the day I had searched, with very little luck, for the items. Out of desperation I made a Facebook post. My previous boss answered the post with solutions for finding the first two items (we even ended up purchasing the wind tunnel). The third item I ended up finding on sheer luck, after browsing many websites dedicated to emergency vehicle lights. 

My former boss saved my ass. Personally, I am not a big fan of having work associates on Facebook. My former boss and I did not become Facebook Friends until after we stopped working together. I am a fan of connecting with work associates and people you want to network with professionally via LinkedIn. 

As a new graduate of university and a student in college, I do have some contacts on LinkedIn that I am connected with socially as well as professionally. I tend not to add people to connect on LinkedIn until after I have finished working with them and I also try to avoid adding anyone I do not really know. The great thing about LinkedIn is that you can see who is viewing your LinkedIn profile. Often employers will check this informative resource in addition to viewing your resume. This is one of the reasons it is essential to keep an updated, complete profile. 

LinkedIn is a great way to connect with potential employers and resources within your industry. I am surprised how few people I know in radio are late in the LinkedIn game. I love it, it is the perfect way to stay connected with peers from college or university and grow a network of professionals as a resource. 

If you are in a radio program, you should have at least one class of connections right there! If you are volunteering with a station (or anywhere) there are more connections. Search for people where you currently work and where you have worked in the past. Connections are everywhere, think outside the box. Your connections are valuable on LinkedIn, they can write a recommendation for your profile or even attest that you have developed listed skills.   

Keep an eye out, your connections may post news from within your industry that could be invaluable to your work. Also, post work you have done or information that you think could help others. Be a good resource for your colleagues. Do remember though, your LinkedIn account should maintain some decorum and taste. Keep your posts professional, save the junk for Facebook.