Andy Park

GCEP/TRMA 585: Developing A Professional Online Identity Spring 2013

online identities, personal branding, social media

Linkedin

LinkedIn is a social networking tool that allows one to establish an online professional profile. It serves the function of an online resume but also allows one to communicate and connect with others in a way that’s easy to manage to control interactions.

I feel as if I’ve learned a lot this semester about LinkedIn but that there’s so much more to learn.  There’s great potential use for LinkedIn in my professional future.

Online Privacy

Online privacy will be an important issue to wrestle over. As I want to expand my online presence, I need to protect both myself and my clients. Hearing classmates tell how they’ve already had their privacy violated helps me to realize the dangers of living in an online world. I cannot choose to remain ignorant on matters of online privacy. There is great potential in using the internet for good in the professional mental health field but “with great power comes great responsibility.”

I’m thankful for resources availablesuch as staysafeonline.org.

Twitter #GCEP585

Prior to this class I thought of Twitter as merely a time waster but I have learned to see its usefulness. I enjoyed reading articles and tweets given by those we were asked to follow. Twitter’s power was most evident during the events of the Boston Marathon. Instead of getting my news from television or news websites, some of the most updated information came fromfollowing updateson twitter.

Professional Facebook Pages

Our class’s discussion on the professional use of Facebook was very enlightening as I had never thought of using it in any way other than to keep up with friends. The readings and videos helped me see how there is the ability to expand one’s business through Facebook.

The cautionary tales of dual relationships with clients and questions on controlling posts and reviews on one’s wall make me want to be cautious for now of professional Facebook use. As a therapist I see many possible dangers for this tool.

Google Plus (G+)

While Google+ felt similar to Facebook, I saw how some of the subtle differences could be beneficial. Having one’s profile connected to Google is very important.

Google Hangouts have been a helpful tool. I enjoy being able to see my east coast friends when I talk to them and also having study sessions with classmates without having to leave home.

Blogs: Blogger, WordPress, Tumblr

Blogs allow us to share our insights and get our views out with a wide audience.

They can require a lot of time and must be well thought through to be effective, but are a great avenue for influencing many online.

Following along with blogs suggested in this course or found through twitter has already been very informative about the mental health field.

I still wonder if I will blog as I’m not sure what I would share but will at least consider it in the future.

Learning from Mental health Professionals & organizations

I’ve appreciated being able to follow along and learn from other mental health professionals. Being able to read their advice about social media use has been informative and inspiring. As someone relatively new to using social media, it has been helpful to see how they have benefited from certain online resources. With everything out there it’s great to learn from those who are further down the road.

Managing your online identity

My mind was blown by learning about Hootsuite, Tweet deck and Topsy. While at times overwhelming to think through all these tools, seeing how Julie Hanks makes these tools work for her shows me the usefulness for these resources.

Managing my online identity will be important and there are many tools available to help!

Portfolios & profiles

http://about.me/andypark03

My e-portfolio was not only a lot of fun to design but also brought a lot of insight. As I see the world changing and becoming more online-centered, this tool can help me in getting my “brand” known.

Curation Tools: scoop.it/pinterestsocial media ethics for therapists

Curation tools such as Scoop.it and Pinterest are helpful with all the information and articles online.

While it took a bit of time for me to get used to the search process, I saw how it was beneficial in finding information that was useful.

I’m excited to use these tools to find more relevant material that will enhance my professional future.

Websites & domain names

I was surprised by how easy creating a website could be. Through a simple Google search I found many websites that walked a newcomer like me through everything I needed to know to create a website.

It is very comforting to know that when needed there are easy to find resources that will help me in creating a website.

Making A Difference Goals & Strategies

The week’s discussion on using social media for social change was inspiring to me. I hope to help others in my professional future and enjoyed reading tips for how to use social media for these purposes.

While there is a lot of information online, I believe there are ways to make a positive impact, whether it be in small or big ways.

I’m thankful for all the information learned in this class and hope to see much positive fruit come from it in both my life and in the world around me.

slideshare

Slideshare is a new tool to me, (hopefully I’m using it right and you’re seeing this presentation) but I already am enjoying it and excited to use it in the future.

What a great way to both share my work while also seeing Powerpoint presentations from others. Instead of having to reinvent the wheel, it will be great to see what others have done and learn from them!

Slideshare was one last reminder of how much I can still learn about social media or other resources that can help me tremendously!

Final thoughts

Coming into the course, my familiarity with social media was limited to Facebook. Words like “LinkedIn” and “Pinterest” were like another language to me. I’m thankful for the readings / videos and assignments that were not only informative but stretched me by making me interact with these tools.

I am excited to be able to use these tools in the future. I realize I still have a lot to learn and also need to continue to think through which tools will be best for my future. I also hope to continue to stretch myself and grow in my knowledge and use of social media. I am thankful for how much I have learned through this course! Thanks all!