Digital Footprints: Using the Internet to enhance your
career prospects
Judith Baines, Careers ServiceMatt Lingard, Centre for Learning Technology
What are going to cover?
• Keeping up to date with sector news
• Develop your online presence
• On-line networking
Why this is important?
• Researching careers– Peer feedback on recruitment process– Chat to employers re. recruitment process– Improve commercial awareness
• Employers look for you• Promoting yourself• Creative job hunting
KPMG UK Graduate Recruitment
Company Page
KPMG YouTube Channel
Talk to KPMG Staff
KPMG UK & more
Facebook Pages & Groups
Message Boards & Forums
Watch what you write!
• “…BNP [Paribas] does has a track record of messing people up... BNP graduate recruitment is very poorly managed...”
“intern” on NiCube Discussion Forum
Keeping Up To Date• Feeds & News
Readers• Google Alerts (Email)
• Blog Search Tools
Why?• “…everyone’s career will also be understood by
what we say through online communication such as Facebook, email and Twitter… so learn to be digitally articulate and literate…”
Charlie Beckett, POLIS Director, LSE
• “We investigate everyone who applies; if there is no on-line presence at all, we will not invite them to interview...”
Director of Digital Strategies, Racepoint Group UK
AOL Internship Advert
• Good writing skills and sound news judgment. • Candidates - do they have their own blog?
Twitter? Digg and Technorati profiles? Post YouTube videos? Facebook fans?
• How have they used their presence in social networks to advance their life — personally or professionally?
• Someone who lives and breathes social media like MySpace, Bebo, Facebook and Twitter
First Find Your Footprint
Google Yourself!
Then automate it…
Beware your digital footprint!
• Nationale Suisse employee sacked after surfing Facebook while off sick
Reuters, April, 2009
• We won’t hold drunken pictures against you, it helps build up a picture
Director of Digital Strategies, Racepoint Group UK
Protect Your Reputation• Keep it Private • Do you want employers, lecturers,
colleagues to see it?• Check Social Networking Privacy Settings
Taking Advantage
• Build a positive online presence
• Expand your network
Professional Profile
• Manage your Profile
• Join employer Groups & Pages
• Find People – Employers
• Twitter Search– Keywords
• Friends of…
Comments & Questions
Blogging
Writing Blogs• Free Blogging tools
• Informal Style, Regular Posts, Links
“you should approach blogging with some caution – and be careful not to ruin your career prospects”
Gavin Whenman, Blogger, Diaries of UK Law Students
Creative Approach
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PKSbNvvgkac
Student online networking
Katie Brunt, 2009 graduate in Advertising & Brand Management, MMU– LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/katiebrunt– Website:
http://sites.google.com/site/katiebruntorg– Blog:
http://www.democracypr.com/wp/index.php – Twitter: http://twitter.com/brunty7
(example courtesy of MMU and Helen Pownall)
Joined up Profile
• Link your sites together• Add your web links to:
– CV– Email signature– Business card
Netiquette
• Be polite; think about your approach• Make connections• Build the relationship over time• Be sincere• Decide on boundaries
Finally…
Links:http://delicious.com/LSECareers/DigitalFootprint/
Questions?