Digital is Forever – How to Maintain Your Personal Brand

The world is now full of fast and easy ways to communicate digitally. Many people do not understand the consequences of posting information on the internet for the world to see. Not only can we impact our own lives, but these actions can have repercussions on our friends, family, coworkers, and employer. However, social media can be used to improve your personal brand and improve your chances at receiving a job offer. To an employer, you are what you tweet, post, and blog.  Make sure your internet communications represent how you want to brand yourself.

Many college students don’t think about how their internet activity could affect their ability to find a job after they graduate. More employers are starting to look at candidates’ Facebook, Twitter and blogs. Unfortunately, we do not have complete control over our online presence. Don’t just be mindful of how your posts impact yourself; your online activities could be potentially harmful towards your friends, family or coworkers. You do not want to be the reason for their embarrassment or unemployment. If you’re in doubt, don’t post it.

However, if used properly, social media can boost your chances at attaining your dream job. Social media is a great place to learn about a company and interact with potential coworkers. Many companies have Facebook pages, twitter accounts and linked in groups. These are great resources for researching companies and formulating insightful questions to ask during your interview. Programs like IMLP also use these resources to screen and look for potential new hires. Interviewers use the site to interact with candidates, knowing who you are before info sessions or interviews can give you a big leg up on other interviewees! Make sure to check out all of the IMLP media sites!

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Increase in Salary...or Tweeting Time?

© Twitter.com - Obvious CorpOur generation is used to getting the information we want and getting it fast.  How fast did our generation hear about the earthquake in DC that was felt as far as Cincinnati?  Faster than most of the world thanks to texting, Tweeting, and Facebook (I got a ping as it was happening!).  We get frustrated when our internet search takes longer than three seconds and heaven forbid we ever forget our cellphones at home (how do we know what time it is?).  Our generation works and communicates differently than any before us.  But what’s our greatest downfall?  According to Cisco’s most recent “Cisco Connected World Technology Report,” it’s following IT security protocols.

Cisco’s Connected World Technology Report is a summary of results collected by polling 3,000 young IT professionals and college students from all around the world.  It is used to gauge what the next generation of workers will be looking for and how companies will need to mold the current environment to meet those needs and expectations.  Key areas include mobile technologies, social media, work life freedom, and network accesses.  The most troubling find of this study was that 70% of young professionals worldwide, admitted to knowingly ignoring or circumventing IT security policies and procedures.  The most common reason for doing so: They didn’t believe what they were doing was a real security threat and 61% don’t believe it is their responsibility to protect themselves on devices.  

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IMLP Alumnus Featured in Seth Godin's eBook

Recently, author Seth Godin published "Poke the Box," and Amazon describes it as “a manifesto by bestselling author Seth Godin that just might make you uncomfortable. It’s a call to action about the initiative you’re taking-– in your job or in your life. Godin knows that one of our scarcest resources is the spark of initiative in most organizations (and most careers)-– the person with the guts to say, “I want to start stuff.”

After publishing "Poke the Box," the team collected 50 anecdotes from “ambitious doers,” and published them as an eBook titled "SXSW Pokes."

2010 Alumnus Alana Edmunds is featured in the eBook, and tells her story about the IMLP Blog!

GE Appliances Enters Realm of Social Media

Image courtesy of www.home-designing.com

Did you know?

- 77% of the total Internet audience participates in social media
- Viewing social media sites now surpasses personal email usage
- 70% of consumers trust opinions from other consumers’ online reviews*

In response to this transformation, GE Appliances (part of GE Home & Business Solutions) has recently joined the Facebook and Twitter family. 

The Appliances Facebook and Twitter pages provide an opportunity for consumers to provide feedback as well as notify us of any troubles they are experiencing with certain products.

Part of my rotation involves assisting the business to navigate through social media – which included designing the Facebook profile picture and the Twitter background.  This illustrates how us IMLP’s are given great opportunities to enhance our businesses from both an internal and external perspective.

Check them out here:

GE Appliances Facebook Fan Page
GE Appliances Twitter

*Nielsen Global Online Consumer Survey of over 25,000 Internet consumers from 50 countries

In Plain English (or French, or Spanish)

Many millennials (including IMLPs and those who blog here!) are often called upon to answer questions and explain social media.

And I'm no exception. While home for Thanksgiving (and at the dinner table) members of my immediate family stared back at me with blank faces when I brought up social media and blogging.

For this, and many other confusing topics, including cloud computing, I call upon YouTube. One of my favorite points of reference are the "In Plain English" videos - which are now available in multiple languages via dotSub.