This is the final installment in our social media series! If you’re curious about how to harness Facebook and Twitter to enhance your professional presence online, please click through to the beginning of the series.

Though less conventional than the first two platforms we discussed, Tumblr can be an extremely helpful tool for your job search. Since the explosion of blogging in recent years, blogs have been talked up as great portfolio tools and examples of your activity within the field, but Tumblr has yet to get much credit in the recruiting field. Still, don’t be fooled—Tumblr is just as effective, if not more so than, a traditional blog. Regardless of which you prefer, in order to use either of these platforms to your advantage, make sure to…

1. Follow relevant Tumblrs/blogs. Just like Twitter, finding others in your industry with Tumblrs or blogs is a great way of staying informed and striking up conversations. Follow them and repost or quote information from them that you find useful. Comment on their posts. Link to theirs in one of your own, and further their thoughts with your own analytical thinking. At the very least, these posts will look impressive to recruiters who research you, and will speak to your level of involvement in your field.
2. Post original content. Whether it’s your own personal thoughts on a new innovation in your field or an update on your job search status, be sure to stay active and post your own original content. Simply rehashing others’ work may make you seem lazy or lacking in original ideas and creativity; while it’s important to give credit where credit is due, every blog needs at least some output of original work to stay relevant.
3. Use it as an online portfolio. Whether you’re using Tumblr or a traditional blog, this is where compiling links to and lists of your accomplishments comes in handy. Treat the site as your own personal portfolio, and upload any relevant information, such as resumes, work samples, and a bio. Post your progress on current projects and initiatives if confidentiality policies allow it. Ultimately, the aim is to show that you are active, engaged, and interested in the work you’re doing.

Though each platform has its own unique uses, there are certain rules to abide by with all social media: be active and contribute, upload professional photos only, and keep your bios short and informative. One helpful way to make sure that your profiles are all on the same page, so to speak, is to cross-sync them. For example, Twitter has options to automatically post all tweets to Facebook, and vice-versa.  These are just some of the many ways you can use social media to market and network in your field, and the longer you use these sites, the more tactics you will eventually learn. So start networking!