I have guest lectured in several classes over the years at the University of Tennessee on the importance of managing your reputation online and how social media can really in establishing your online persona and possibly help in getting a position right after graduation. Social media is a wonderful outlet to showcase your work, allow employers to get to know you as both a PR professional and person, and to be interactive with the online community. Several people have written about the benefits of social media in getting a job, and some have mentioned how they have gotten their position from their tweets on their Twitter account and network connections on LinkedIn. We have to be aware of the statistics of these various social media sites as well – which ones are used more often in specific industries, and which ones are most likely to be used for networking opportunities? These are some questions that we as PR professionals who are actively looking for positions need to ask ourselves.
If you are looking for a position in Public Relations and are interested in marketing yourself online with social media, there are several things that you can do to establish your online reputation. Here are a few of my suggestions that I have shared with my students:
Be transparent and have one set of manners on all social media sites. People want to get to know you as a person and how you present yourself in the professional workplace. You have to have a balanced presence online – meaning, you want to provide people with enough information where you are not viewed as being too closed or too open with your information.
Have your own web site and blog. You are your best PR spokesperson, and you need to use these outlets to manage how people perceive you and make this your ultimate hub for information. Plus, you will be able to control your own domain name, which is very important in managing your reputation as well.
Think before you post. People are able to search for information on anyone online and see what they are posting on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and specfic social networking sites. It is important to think of how this post would appear to others as well as if you are willing to have this be viewed for years to come. It is good to be proactive this way in managing your reputation.
Showcase your strengths and highlight your personality. You have to see what makes you unique and different from the rest of the PR professionals out there – is it your experience? Is it your knowledge in a particular field, or is it your personality and how you interact with others? These are all elements that you have to consider and decide how you are going to present this online and to the online community.
These are just a few suggestions that I wanted to share with you all. I hope that you all are having a great day!
Best Wishes,
Karen
0 Comments