Empire Avenue and Career Success

It may be hard to see a link between career success and Empire Avenue however there can be a strong link which I will hopefully explain.

'Social networking can be an integral part of your career building, if you use it correctly. If you don't, even information you consider private could cost you your job and damage your career.' (abbreviated) - Alison Doyle - Job Expert

"Social media has made it easy and acceptable for you to advertise your skills and to connect with others who may be interested in your professional services. If you're not using it you could be missing out on opportunities to advance your career interests." - Corinne Mills is managing director of Personal Career Management and is author of several best-selling career books.

Self promotion, if done correctly, is an essential part of any personal career management plan or career success formula. Being published or even curating valuable information that relates to your expertise or industry is a great way to impress both your customers and your employers alike. As a young supervisor I was asked to write an article on  behalf of my employer on equipment leasing for a prestigious accounting magazine. The article was then republished in both government guides and other professional publications. Within six months I was promoted to the department manager and within two years was managing one of the companies largest branches. Sure you still have to perform your tasks well however if no one notices you then you don't get offered the opportunities to excel.

That brings me to Empire Avenue's potential to enhance your career success prospects.

When recently asked, a number of experienced players described what they liked best about being members of Empire Avenue. The messages that stuck out where:

"The People you interact with, and learning different ways to leverage social media."

"For me, EA has been a school of social media along with making connections; both locally and globally!"

"Excellent place to find other's content and draw attention to your own content ....and you meet some great (and influential) social media people."

Finally as another current player put it:

Empire Avenue lets you amplify your content and social awareness. It taps you into a network of other creators, curators and community moderators with a similar goal; to increase their social worth. By investing in others, like a social stock exchange, and by completing missions or requests on your time, you are able to earn virtual I.O.U. points which can be saved up and traded in when you have some content or profiles of your own that needs a boost.

Another perspective from friend Lynn O'Connell

"How does all this help your career? Simple. When you connect with people on Empire Avenue who share your interests, they aren't just random people. They are people who are active and influential in social media. So, when you write an important article, they can help you stand out in the (very) crowded online space. Instead of disappearing into the online void, your article -- or your pages or your Twitter feed -- are seen and shared by more people, which validates your expertise and your influence. You can use that to raise your own profile within your profession or to help your employer. Of course, you'll need to create or curate good content, and you need to nurture your Empire Avenue relationships. When you do both, the results truly ARE social media rocket fuel."

Can your career success be influenced by Empire Avenue participation? YES