Online Activity & Career SuccessBy Maintaining a Positive Online Presence

Kathleen E. High, M. Ed. Adjunct Career CounselorCypress College

Why Worry About Your Online Presence?• Online Presence gives others an impression of you• Once information is online, anyone can access it• Online information is difficult to remove• People judge you for what they find:• Employers• Colleges• Prospective dates • Family, friends and other social groups• Financial – loan processors, etc. • Lawyers (divorce & lawsuits), law enforcement, media, etc.

• If you are not online, you may be perceived as ‘technologically illiterate’• 50-80% of today’s 2-year-olds have an online presence• Experts expect Online Presence to replace résumés in 10 years• Posting someone else’s private information could result in legal problems.

Consider the following Scenario:• You are connected to a person, who posts inappropriately:

• Boss• Hiring Manager• Teacher• College Recruiter• Parent• Pastor/Clergy• Mortgage Loan Agent• Ex’s Divorce Lawyer

• How would you respond to the following post?• http://www.cnn.com/2013/12/21/us/sacco-offensive-tweet/index.html

What Other People SeeIn Your Behavior

Addicted? Inattentive? Lacking courtesy, manners, and social skills?

What kind of reference would they provide?

What is “Online Presence”?• Social Networking (personal and professional)• Photos and videos• Professional email address • Web domains – Gmail, Yahoo, AOL, etc. • There are age-related stereo types about who uses what email

server• Blogs – posting & responding• Personal Branding• Taglines• Visual appeal (graphic design)• Additional items:• Voice Mail• Text messaging

Current Trends/Controversies

Big Picture:• Social Networking is a new phenomenon that is growing very

rapidly• Trends and technology come and go• Can’t anticipate problems that will result from new activities

such as social networking• Laws have not caught up with technology• Too much “private” information is readily available through an

online search engines and re-posts• Cyberbullying has devastating affects on young people• Identity theft is pervasive – including social media• ‘Sexting’ messages often find their way onto the Internet

Current Trends/ControversiesInstitutions’ Perspective:• Associates (employees, students, prospective employees, etc.) use online

inappropriately, which affects the institution:• Embarrass or compromise the institution’s reputation• Reveal confidential information• Abuse their work time for personal use• Reveal character/integrity flaws• Use institutional resources for illegal activities• Reveals illegal activity

• Want to monitor associate use (for reasons above)• Want to know if future students/employees will be a good fit• Concern that information found could make them vulnerable to lawsuits

(discrimination, etc.)• Could be held liable when associate does something illegal, and they knew about it

through online monitoring• Need to have “appropriate use” policies in place, but may not• Security Clearance related positions have higher standards

Current Trends/Controversies

Individuals’ Perspective:• Individuals have a right to privacy. • Do they violate it by posting online?• Should employers, schools, churches, etc. have a right to

monitor?• How much information should they have access to?• If yes, how do they gain access?• Should you give out your passwords to prospective

employers?

What is “Personal Branding”?• Similar to product branding or company branding• A unified, consistent message and image about your personal

character, professional aspirations, and what makes you stand out.• General (visual)

• Consistent look (logo, color palette, fonts, layout style, etc.)• Consistent, professional photos• Tagline

• Online:Social Media – multiple sites (LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, etc.)Website (including personalized domain)Email AddressBlogs – Posts & Reposts

• Offline:Elevator PitchBusiness CardsRésumés

So What Can You Do toControl Your Online Presence?• Use social networks strategically• Search your name via Google or other search engine• Check “public records” (court documents & property ownership) Check credit rating

(for certain jobs)• Use a social media search tool:• http://www.reppler.com• http://www.socialmention.com• http://pipl.com/• http://www.reputation.com

• Clean up any questionable material• Untag yourself in friends’ unflattering photos or ask them to remove• Restrict your privacy settings• Profile, Contacts, Applications & Websites, Search Engines

• Have lists of friends (family, work, friends, school, etc.)• Create two Facebook (or other) Accounts • One for personal use• One for professional use

• Be selective about what you post: If you don’t want your boss to know, don’t post it.

Use Social Networks Strategically

• Social Networking Types - Use them strategically• Personal

• Share pictures, videos and personal updates• Blogging• Be mindful of privacy settings

• Business• To promote and conduct your business

• Job Search• For networking and job search

• Employment• To network and “brand” yourself

Develop Your “Personal Brand”• Clarify your ‘Bio statement’• Paragraph version • 1-sentence version (Mission statement, dream job, tag line, etc.)

• Identify what makes you professionally unique• Create an elevator pitch• Have at least one professional photo• Be consistent across social media sites• Images• Facts• Personal Brand “Message”

• Join professional groups• Engage in professional dialogs• Comment on other professional’s posts and articles

Use Only Professional Pictures• Use Professional Photos• Current – It still looks like you, clearly shows your face• Flattering “head shot”, smiling• Well-groomed, minimal make-up & jewelry• Professional attire (interview appropriate)• Use professional photographer

• Retail Portrait Studios

What If They Ask?

What do you do if a current or prospective employer asks for access?• Know Your Rights• Ask for a Waiver• If Job Requires Security Clearance, Compliance is Probably

Best• Know your rights. Ask for a waiver, and ask them to sign a

form stating that they will be held liable for anything that happens. If its a job that requires security clearance, ask for the waiver, sign it and just let them do what they are going to do.

Resources for Creating a Positive Online Presence• Personal Branding / Professional Branding http://

jobsearch.about.com/od/careeradviceresources/a/profbrand.htmlhttp://www.theworkbuzz.com/featured/marketing-your-personal-brand/http://www.forbes.com/sites/dailymuse/2012/02/14/the-first-step-to-building-your-personal-brand/2/

• Job Search Privacy Checkshttp://jobsearch.about.com/od/jobsearchblogs/a/privacy.htm

• Presence Management Choreshttp://www.chrisbrogan.com/19-presence-management-chores-you-could-do-every-day/

• Hot Topics In Pre-employment Screeninghttp://www.insidecounsel.com/2011/10/21/hot-topics-in-pre-employment-screening-part-ii

• Use Social Media Tutorials http://learn.linkedin.com/training/https://support.twitter.com/groups/31-twitter-basics#

Visit the Career Planning Center• Talk to a Career Counselor for help with:• Identifying your professional strengths• Developing your ‘professional brand’• Developing your ‘elevator pitch’• Overcoming online mistakes that have hurt your career• How to maintain a professional image while going to school

• Find resources to help with online activity & career success :• Research career information• Resume writing tools• Online programs and databases• Setting up a LinkedIn account• Developing networking skills