Get online with IRCA
Online social networks are a great way of learning from your peers and other advocates of quality. So why not get involved with IRCA’s online networks? Aside from the ever-popular forums, there is also IRCA’s group on LinkedIn and the INform Twitter feed.
The fruits of a productive network are knowledge and opportunities. In order to access that knowledge, you need to participate by asking and answering questions in your network. This raises your profile within that community and sets you up as someone to know. And opportunities, such as new roles or invitations to speak at events, only get offered to people with a profile. A silent member of a network is not going to get anything of substance out of being in that network.
LinkedIn is the leading professional online networking tool. It is work-orientated and full of groups addressing every conceivable industry. A quick search for quality auditing groups finds the ‘Institute of Internal Auditors’ (12,000 members) and ‘ISO QMS and EMS Users Group’ (700 members). These groups all offer discussion forums where you can ask for advice on your own work issues and discuss the industry trends.
You can register on LinkedIn and join the ‘International Register of Certificated Auditors’ group right now – just search groups for ‘IRCA’. Then post a question or raise an issue.
The art of tweeting is a more controversial strategy and its benefits are still being discussed in the blogosphere. It’s the favoured way for celebrities and charities to communicate with supporters. At the very least, it is a way to get a sense of what’s happening in your industry and what the buzz topics are.
INform has its own twitter become a follower to see if it works for you. If you’re tempted to tweet, and your tweets are informative and interesting enough to attract followers, you could well become a leading voice on auditing.
Forums
Online forums are the lifeblood of a community. Most networks have a forum – a place where they actively interact with other members and announcements are made. All LinkedIn groups offer them and IRCA has its own forum.
So, get online and get networking. A network starts with you.