I recently read an article by Kristin Johnson on the power of using LinkedIn for your job search, and I found that her points apply to the office too!

Get Noticed

She talks about how joining groups is important to keep your connections moving.  Networking is of course one of the top ways to find employment these days.  Speaking up at the water cooler or other gathering places, going to lunch with new coworkers or offering to help a team member get you exposed to new ideas outside of your current role.  It will help you build better connections and get others talking about you.

Speak Up

Actively participating in meeting will show that you are serious about the topic at hand and that you can communicate effectively.  It helps establish you as an expert, or better yet, someone that is confident and not afraid of change.  You want your boss to consider you as someone that plays well with others, so remember to keep things respectful, provide constructive feedback, stay positive and offer solutions.

Be Social

If your company has an internal social network that it is using, such as Yammer, make sure to set up a profile and start contributing.  People will notice and start to build connections with you.  It also allows you to network with people outside of your immediate group, especially if your company has multiple locations.  You never know who might notice your interactions and what opportunities might come from it.

Here are a few tips to keep in mind:

• Make sure to post interesting articles or answer questions that others may have on a regular basis so as to keep your profile active and show others you are listening.
• Be sure to keep your posts about business and limit them so others will be interested.
• Gather feedback from other colleagues on a project you are working on by asking them for advice or tips on how they would do it.

What things have you done at work to get noticed?