Social Media for Effective Communication Before, During and After your EMBA

By Hanniffa Patterson

An EMBA is a big commitment, both financially and emotionally. Top business schools require you to work, attend intense, all day classes and complete detailed and challenging group assignments. All this, while possibly maintaining a family and other commitments. As if there wasn't enough to do, you are now faced with social media. No longer used by just millennials, this medium is becoming an integral part of every business and at all levels of the management hierarchy.

Social media has evolved to become an effective communication tool in the world of business. Companies of all sizes are now on social media, scoping out and recruiting potential staff, and building brands and communities online. But how is this relevant to you? As an EMBA participant you will find that you can make use of social media before, during and after your program to make your experience that much more rewarding.

1.    Check out your top business schools. Social media is a great way to research your top business schools and other options. Using channels such as Facebook and Twitter, find out what alums are saying. Look at photos to see what the campus is like. What kind of activities are being highlighted? Does the school spirit portrayed seem in line with your values? Yes, the school may have an official website; however, their accounts will be alive with activity from past students, current students and staff, thus offering even more in terms of valid and authentic information.

2.    Ask questions. Reach out to top business schools that interest you through their social media presence. Many school offices are swamped with phone calls and requests for inquiries, especially at certain times of the year. However, professional accounts are created with the intention to provide customer service, so emphasis is made on speed and quality. As a result, this can be an excellent way to get your questions answered in a timely manner. A good social media team will get back to you within a reasonable time (maximum 48 hours), if even with just a brief message and an offer to forward you to the appropriate department.

3.    Update your social media profiles. Your social media profile is also important and can be a critical tool in your application. A recent mediabistro.com study found that 92% of recruiters use social media to search for talent, with LinkedIn leading the way for most consulted at 93%, (66% use Facebook and 54% check on Twitter). Schools also look at students’ accounts as a way to get a first look on who you are professionally and personally. They may also use these networks as a way to verify that what you say on your application is congruent with who you are.

4.    Make sure to clean up your public social media profiles, removing or restricting access to questionable or private photos or content you may have posted. Go through your Facebook photos and verify that the content you don't want to be shared publicly is set to 'friends only'. Alternatively, endeavor to properly fill in your accounts. Have an accurate, professional photograph on Linked In, with up-to-date employment information. Encourage those who have worked with you to write a review of your work. If you are not very active on some networks but have an account, update it as well. For instance, replace the photo of the Twitter egg with one of yourself and fill in the bio with what you do.