It’s likely that most of you don’t even use your intranet. And even if you do, I’m sure you are wondering how this technology could possibly help you along your career path.
Corporate intranets have changed a lot in the last ten years. They may have traditionally been run and managed by IT, communications, or HR, but there is now a strong trend toward intranets being owned by the people--which is helping to provide opportunities for employees at all levels to participate.
Here are four ways to use your intranet to your advantage.
Chance to Demonstrate Expertise
Unless other people know how good you are at your job, you might never get ahead. Your intranet offers the perfect platform to showcase your work. For example, a graphic designer could benefit by sharing a project, and even getting feedback on the process. Or a sales rep could applaud his most recent sale. Having a strong presence on your company intranet could also improve the chances that someone will remember you when a job opportunity arises.
Opportunity to Solve Problems
Does your intranet post discussions where employees are searching for internal expertise? Or maybe you are the one searching for help on a project. Whatever the opportunity, join the discussion. The goal of a lot of intranets is to transfer knowledge from the business to its employees, so use it.
Increase Internal Knowledge
When well organized, intranets are a goldmine of corporate info. By taking the time to read company news you can increase your own internal knowledge. This puts you in the know, and shows your commitment to the company. If your intranet lacks content, take the time to post (or send to your intranet manager) and see which stories or documents engage readers—assuming of course that your intranet has engagement metrics.
Expand Internal Network
Maybe as a Developer you’ve secretly always wanted to be a Product Manager, but didn’t know how to get that ball rolling. Or maybe as an intern you are looking for a way to cross paths with the VP of Sales. Intranets let you begin conversations without barriers. If your intranet has a good employee search option, seek out coworkers by role. Depending on your conversations you can also grow your network of fans; some who may be willing to recommend you for a promotion.
One note of caution, while all of these are great ideas to increase your visibility, please be sincere and be careful about turning your intranet into ‘Facebook for the enterprise’. In other words, don’t abuse your intranet or others will smell a phony. And no one wants to promote a sycophant.
