6 Tips For Using Procurious: The Procurement Professional’s Exclusive Social Network

If you weren’t already aware, Procurious is a relatively new and growing social network created exclusively for procurement professionals. In the brand’s own words, it is:

“An online business network for a new generation of procurement professionals. It’s a hub for them to advance their career, develop skills and expand their professional network. Procurious is unique as it bridges the gap between networking, thought leadership and technical information – no other online platform can do all three.”

Yes, you would be correct in thinking it is very similar to LinkedIn. The professional social networking model that LinkedIn created is a solid one and therefore a lot of similarities carry over. However, the thing that draws us and many other procurement professionals to Procurious is not only it’s exclusivity, but its partnership with The Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply (CIPS).

So, how can you get started on and make the most out of the procurement social network? Here’s our tips:

Complete Your Profile In As Much Detail As Possible

If you are an avid LinkedIn user, this may not come as a shock to you. The more detail you add to your Procurious profile, the more searches you will appear in and more recommendations for connections you will find.

It’s also good practice to keep your profile information as up to date as possible, especially if you are looking for employment opportunities. Procurement and supply chain recruiters are active on the social network and are always looking for the next candidate for the job, so treat your profile like your online CV/portfolio.

Build Your Network From A Mix of Existing and New Contacts

When you are starting out with no network, where do you begin? We suggest starting with people you’ve had previous contact with. Procurious allows you to invite people from your email address book.

You can also share the link to your new Procurious profile on your other social networks, such as LinkedIn or Twitter and encourage other connections who are on there to add you to their networks. You may also want to add the link to your email signatures and other communications to let contacts know you are on the new social network.

You can also begin to find new contacts under the ‘Build Your Network’ tab, which allows you to search people based on specific criteria. The criteria include location, industry and category, as well as allowing you to search by name or keyword.

Join The Discussions or Start Your Own

The discussions tab is a great way to showcase your knowledge and meet new connections. The tab is set up in a forum-style way, allowing you to browse existing topics and create new ones.

You can search all the active discussions, by topic and sub-topic, in order to find one that peaks your interest and that you can comment on.

Alternatively, if nothing peaks your interest or if you have something in mind that isn’t already being talked about on there, you can start your own discussion and encourage people to join.

Join The Groups And Make New Connections

The groups are very similar to those found on LinkedIn. You can request to join those relevant to your interests and sector, then chat with the people on there about relevant topics and make new connections.

Check Out The Events Tab For Networking and Learning

The events tab features a number of procurement and supply chain focused events held by organisations and experts around the world.

Not only can you find details on events happening near to you, but you can also add your own upcoming events or events that you are attending and promote them to other procurement professionals.

Make Use Of The Free Learning Resources

One of the key features that sets Procurious apart from other social networks is the Learning tab. Under this tab you will find a plethora of free videos covering a range of topics, relevant to the varying roles of procurement professionals.

You can search through these interesting and educational videos at your leisure, selecting what topics and skill level you would like to narrow the search by. It is a great free resource for expanding on your current knowledge and keeping up to date with new trends and techniques in the procurement and supply chain sectors.