This weeks topic highlighted points that I had not previously considered about my online presence, and encouraged me to streamline my accounts to maintain professional authenticity. The article regarding Justine accentuated just how careful you must be with social media. As discussed on Davina’s post, I consider this to be something that we are all aware of, but perhaps in reality do not think this incident would occur therefore aren’t as careful as we should be.
I particularly enjoyed Zac’s post due how down to earth and relatable it was. Tobie took a similar approach by referencing current affairs to draw people into his blog. I consider these writing styles to be very authentic, showing their personalities. This made for an easier and more interesting read. The quantity of comments on their posts highlights how appreciated authenticity is, even just within the readers of this module.
It was interesting to see everyone’s different take on why authenticity is important, and the different ways in which you can maintain professional authenticity online. This video as shown on Nikhil’s blog particularly resonated with me, highlighting the importance of online branding and making yourself stand out on Google searches to draw in employers.
My blog post mentioned the skills blogging demonstrates and how this would appeal to employers. Will made a great point, questioning whether different platforms demonstrate different skills and hence enforce different impressions. I had not previously considered how accounts such as my Instagram could demonstrate skills, due to the lack of academia it involves. However, upon reflection I realise there are skills that it demonstrates – namely your creative and artistic side, something that would not be demonstrated through other mediums, or elaborated upon in your CV. I also considered Linkedin and Facebook, with the features to build relationships and communities. Dominique’s article (2016) further explains important skills that can be demonstrated through social media
Click here for my comments on Zac and Davina’s blogs
References:
BBC News. 2013, Job hunting: How to promote yourself online, [Online], Available: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-25217962 [accessed 2016, November 17].
Jackson, D. 2016, 13 Must Have Social Media Skills, [Online], Available: http://sproutsocial.com/insights/social-media-skills/ [accessed 2016, November 17].
Lo, I. 2013, Professional Online Profile, [Online], Available: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SF9LaXDiINE [accessed 2016, November 17]
Claire's blog 