It used to be that an employer would look at a potential employees resume, interview them and make a decision on whether or not they would be suitable for the position. However, in the new age of technology, there are more opportunities for individuals to connect with employers and to promote themselves. This is what this week's ALES 204 lab is addressing. An employer can easily Google someone's name and their Twitter alias, Facebook page or LinkedIn profile may show up. This creates an opportunity to present yourself in a professional manner to these employers. It can be used as an online resume to highlight skills, previous work experience, and academic history and achievements.
Of course there are some guidelines to follow when making a Facebook page for your career. You want to remain professional and keep it separate from your personal profile where employers might find some not so professional things. I recently came across an article discussing the benefits of a professional Facebook page and how to use one appropriately. Facebook can be a wonderful tool when it comes to connecting with businesses and employers but, if it's not used responsibly, it could be quite detrimental to your career.
While looking through some of the ALES 204 Facebook pages I came across a fellow students blog that I would love to share with you. I thought she made a great point about how Facebook is versatile in that you can have a personal profile to connect with friends and share things while also having a way to show yourself in a professional manner. The Facebook page that I personally made contains false information because I wasn't comfortable with publicly announcing that information. However, "Samantha Smith" is a similar person to me and the page reflects a student looking to advance their career. Here is a screenshot of my page but to see the all of the information you can click here!
Photo Reference 1 Photo References: 1. Facebook Page [Screenshot] 2012. Retrieved January 26, 2012. Taken by me |
Hey Steph, I read your article about facebook, I Think you did a great job summarizing why it is important to be professional over Facebook. I also like that you used a pretend name, I almost wish I had because I did not set my settings to private and people who are not my Friends can see mine. I guess I will have to be making a change, :p
ReplyDeleteAnyways, Great Post!