Professional Online Identity: Annoyance or Opportunity?
While in Topic 2, I discussed how the ability to have an anonymous online identity can be positive, as it encourages engagement in important debate, it must be noted that the importance of having an authentic online identity is, in this day in age, even more important.
This is because it plays an increasingly significant role in recruitment. With 99% of employers using LinkedIn to search potential employees, while 66% use Facebook and 54% use Twitter. [Jobvite], employers can judge our professional capabilities before even meeting us.
Indeed, with today’s society being so present on social media- spending on average four hours a day online- it has become very important to employers. And, as the aforementioned statistic shows, this doesn’t only include our favourite ‘professional’ site, LinkedIn, but the likes of Facebook and Twitter too.
As soon-to-be-graduates, what does this mean for us?
On one hand, it is a scary thought. According to surveys, more than 70% of employers have stated that they’ve ruled out a job candidate because of something negative they found online [Dumas]. This piles on the pressure, as social media becomes a platform that must be constantly checked for anything that could deter employers. The case of Justine Sacco demonstrates just how damaging one act- in her case a “stupid tweet”- can be.
But this is looking at it with the glass half empty. Yes, the importance of social media for recruitment can be daunting, but we must see it as an opportunity to showcase our potential employers what we’ve got to offer. While previously, our chances on getting this or that job would have sat just on one CV and one interview, now we can take advantage of social media to- well- show off.
As an aspiring journalist, I try to use social media to my advantage, by both posting links to articles I’ve written and by sharing published stories that I find particularly interesting. Additionally, I use both LinkedIn and Twitter to connect with professionals in the industry to develop my journalistic networks.
One thing I would like to do more of having read up on it in my research for this topic, is blogging.
The Employable describes how blogging can help you get a job, as it shows passion, dedication, motivation and creativity, and also demonstrates ability to write well, as well as keeping you in the loop ad making you stand out.
Photo credit: Chris Olin via Flickr
While, like many, I have a travel blog, plus this blog for the UOSM2008 module, I believe that maintaining a professional blog that discusses and shows my passion for the industry I want to go into could really help in my job search. It may well be the same case for you!
To round things off, I’ve created a prezi (for the first time!) to sum up my thought processes about Topic 3.
I’ve had feedback telling me that the Prezi isn’t working! If this is the case, this link should take you there:
https://prezi.com/_ox-eaxggflf/my-thinking-from-topic-2/
Don Tapscott, ‘Five ways talent management must change’, World Economic Forum <https://agenda.weforum.org/2014/10/don-tapscott-talent-management-millennials/>
‘2014 Social Recruiting Survey’, Jobvite <https://www.jobvite.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/Jobvite_SocialRecruiting_Survey2014.pdf>
Michelle Dumas, ‘Infographic: How to improve your online identity and personal brand’
Jon Ronson, ‘How one stupid tweet blew up Justine Sacco’s life’, New York Times Magazine, <http://www.nytimes.com/2015/02/15/magazine/how-one-stupid-tweet-ruined-justine-saccos-life.html?_r=1>
‘How blogging can help you get a job’, The Employable, <http://www.theemployable.com/index.php/2014/10/28/blogging-can-help-get-job/>
