Topic 3: Branding- Professional or Personal?
When I began this topic it hadn’t really considered my Social Media profile much beyond Facebook, I already had a LinkedIn account and it’s something as an ‘almost graduate’ that I have put quite a considerable amount of effort into, I’m aware of how important it is, and reading blogs such as Leigh’s showed me just how important this was. I felt the clearest way to convey this importance in my original post was through the use of an info graphic and those that read and commented on my post such as Andrew felt that it was really interesting to have our Social Media use quantified.
The biggest issue raised this week was the ‘authenticity’ of our Social Media profiles and how this co-exists with our Professional Lives. I personally don’t see my own use of Facebook as a concern when it comes to future employment but I know there are people who are far more prolific users than I am and that it is something that has concerned them. From browsing through other Blogs and comments I found that for many the solution to this was to make your ‘personal’ profile entirely private, and to create a ‘professional’ profile which could be viewed by potential employers. Arguably this could reduce the authenticity of the profile.
Because this is such previously unchartered territory, it’s a situation that is currently entirely down to personal preference, there isn’t a recommended ‘done thing’, and therefore it depends upon the desired employment sector and your previous use of Social Media. What is undeniable is that Social Media is an invaluable way to project and refine your CV to a limitless audience.
Blogs I commented on:
