What is Your Social Identity?

Your Social Identity Can Include:

• All social network sites• Your profiles and information others have shared• Consider old accounts (Is your MySpace still active?) and smaller

online communities (fitness support groups, skill based continued education, review sites, etc.)

• Blogs • Articles you have written • Articles written about you

What Role Does Your Social Identity Play in Your Job Search and Career?

Clean Up Your Social Identity • Yourself!

• Look for articles, blog posts, pictures, and social profiles.• If you find something you can’t delete, be prepared to explain it and

start working on a blog or professional profiles to improve your Google results.

• If you are looking for a web based career, no Google results can be just as bad as negative ones.

• Understand Privacy Settings • Don’t just focus party pictures! Is there anything else you might not

want an employer to find? (Family news, health information, political views, etc.)

• How easy is it to override a privacy setting?

Leverage Your Social Identity • Start a blog to showcase your writing, web design, and/or

knowledge for a specific topic.

• Highlight special projects, volunteer work, or certifications to showcae your knowledge and interests on a website or social profile.

• Create professional social profiles to share industry trends, position yourself as a subject matter expert, and connect with other professionals. Use the same picture and bio for all profiles.

How Can I Use LinkedIn?

Leverage LinkedIn

• Make Connections!• Start with friends, professors, colleagues, etc. • Don’t be afraid to reach out to alumni or subject matter experts you have

never met. • Join groups, participate in discussions, and connect with relevant members.

• Always send a personalized message

• Search and apply for jobs

• Identify people at a company you are interested in.

• Once you have a job, stay connected with your network and stay on top of industry trends.

Setting Up Your Profile: Profile Picture

Do not use:

The Graduation

Picture

The Blurry Picture

The Picture with Other People

No Picture At All!

The Unapproachable

Picture

The Baby Picture The Pet Picture

The Too Casual Picture

The “I’m Important” Picture

The Cartoon Picture

Setting Up Your LinkedIn Profile – Summary

• Do• Keep it short and to the point (5 sentences)• Highlight experience that may not be in your resume (volunteer

work, relevant outside experience, writing samples, specific skills)• Check for spelling errors

• Don’t • Use too many buzzwords • Limit yourself by having a really specific career goal• List irrelevant hobbies and interests

General Tips• Lead with your experience. Put education and skill at the

bottom.• Leave out your GPA and test scores.

• Do not simply list your classes.• If you have a specific project you would like to highlight, put it in as

a “project” or explain it in your summary.

• Highlight interests and hobbies using specific examples. • List your blog, website, or specific projects. • Avoid simply listing interest and hobbies or including irrelevant

ones.