Creating and Managing Your
On-Line Presence
An Introduction to
Using Social Media
Professionally
Agenda
• Introduction to Social Media
• Social Media & Employers
• Building Your On-Line Presence/Brand
– Activities
– Videos
– ABC Challenge!! 
Who Is Using Social Media?
• Facebook?
• Pinterest
• Linked In?
• Academia Edu?
• Twitter
• Google
Social Media and the Graduate Student
• Grad students don’t need to be on the Internet;
focus should be on research/writing, studying,
teaching
• Introvert – quiet and private; don’t want their
private information on the Internet
• No time
• Perception that it has no value
• Not for “real” academics
Source: Dr. Katherine Brooks, University of Texas at Austin
Don’t need to be on Internet
• Social media sites are excellent places to showcase
your skills, experience, publications, and research
• Could lead to consulting work, recognition by
colleagues, even a job!
Want to Keep Privacy
• So don’t put everything out there!
• Keep private what you want; focus on your
professional life
• Contain what you write about to professional
topics
No time for social media
• Decide how much time you will invest; work it into
your schedule
• May need to invest a bit more time in the beginning
to choose kinds of social media, set up, and
determine your schedule
No value to social media
• Your name, research, knowledge, expertise available
for employers, and colleagues
• Ability to connect with people you admire in your
field, commenting on blog posts or following
someone on Twitter:
–
–
–
–
Ideas
Resources
Exposure to new leaders in the field
Maybe a personal connection!
Academics don’t use social media…
• Dr. Michael Wesch http://mediatedcultures.net/michael-wesch/
• Dr. Charles Burton (Brock - Political Science Dept.)
http://charlesburton.blogspot.com/
http://twitter.com/cburton001
http://charlesburton.webplus.net/
Social Media and Employers/Job Search
• How many employers are using social media for
candidate selection?
• What are they looking for?
• What are the implications for job seekers?
Social Media and Employers/Job Search
http://www.tweetmyjobs.com/blog/2012/01/is-socialrecruiting-real-video/
Why Employers Use Social Media
• Generate awareness and raising an organization’s
profile online
• Branding
• Monitor what is said about an organization
• Mine for potential candidates from a ready, willing and
interested audience/fan base
• Post jobs
How many employers are using social media for
outreach and recruitment?
• 92 % of employers use social media for recruiting (up
by 3% from 2011 and 10% from 2010)
• 73% of recruiters have successfully hired a candidate
who was identified or introduced through a social
network or social media
• 86% of recruiters are likely to use social profiles when
interviewing
How Employers View Social Media
Research from Jobvite’s Social Recruiting Survey
2012:
•49% of employers saw an increase in quantity of
candidates
•43% of employers saw an increase in quality of candidates
•20% reported it took less time to hire
•31% saw an increase in employee referrals
What Social Media Platforms are
Employers Using?
LinkedIn
Facebook
Twitter
Recruiting 93%
66%
54%
Hired
26%
15%
89%
More Reasons Why Employers
Use Social Media
• Conduct background searches on candidates
• Monitor the behaviour and communications of
prospective or existing employees
Social Media Pitfalls
•Cisco just offered me a job! Now I have to weigh the
utility of a fatty paycheck against the daily commute
to San Jose and hating the work.
Who is the hiring manager. I’m sure they would love
to know that you will hate the work. We here at Cisco
are versed in the web.
More Pittfalls
Employers screening profiles
Reasons for Rejection
%
Rejected
Posted provocative/inappropriate photos/info
Provide info about drinking or using drugs
49
45
Poor communication skills
Bad-mouthed previous employer
Made discriminatory comments related to race,
gender, religion, etc.
Lied about qualifications
35
33
28
22
Building Your On-Line Presence
Have you ever Googled your name?
What did it show?
What images did you find?
Social vs. Professional
Personal
Professional
Find and connect with friends and
acquaintances and make new
friends
Find and connect with
professionals, decision-makers or
“people in the know”
Get information and updates about Gain industry or organizational
and from your friends
information, updates and insights
from professionals
Keep in touch quickly and
conveniently across time zones
Keep in touch with contacts in your
professional network more
efficiently and across time zones
Connect with people who share
your personal interests
Connect with professional groups
who share your interests/expertise
Creating Your Web Presence
• Familiarity – what sites, understanding the uses
of data, privacy concerns, how site “community
operates”
• Consistency – same image/persona over multiple
sites
• Participation – you only get as much benefit as
you put in
Where to start?
•
•
•
•
•
•
Facebook (personal/professional – Branch Out)
LinkedIn (professional)
Google Profile/Circles (professional)
Academia.edu (professional)
Twitter (personal and/or professional)
Blogs (personal web site, Wordpress, Tumbir,
Posterous, etc.
It’s important to just pick one and start!
LinkedIn
http://youtu.be/Ocp1MNpSkWs
LinkedIn
• A professional social network that helps people make the
most of their trusted professional relationships
• Start by connecting with the people you already know
then use LinkedIn tools to connect with the connections
of your connections for mutual benefit
• Over 60 million LinkedIn users; 200,000+ organizations;
over 150 industries; 2.1 million students; 37,000
university groups – approx. half of LinkedIn users are
outside of North America
LinkedIn
http://youtu.be/tSdXxUx2UhM
How to Build a Strong LinkedIn Profile
• Display a professionally appropriate photo
• Create a clear, concise headline that has impact
• Include a summary that highlights your key skills,
experience, accomplishments and goals
• Update your status frequently
• Get recommendations
• Tie your LinkedIn profile to your other job search/networking
efforts
• Use LinkedIn applications to showcase samples
of your work
Making Connections
•
•
•
•
•
Do NOT use the template for LinkedIn Networking
Message – create a personal one!
Mention your connection to the person directly in
the subject line
Provide a very brief introduction re: who you are
and why you want to connect
Ask for general career advice or information into a
particular company or industry – do not ask for a
job
Politely thank the person for considering your
request
How to Network on LinkedIn
• Connect with current professional
colleagues
• Reach out to alumni and industry members
• Build and maintain new connections
How to Research Career Options on LinkedIn
• Type terms of interest to you in LinkedIn’s
Advanced Search function
• Join groups
• Explore LinkedIn’s Company Pages
How to Turn LinkedIn Relationships into
Opportunities
•
Reach out to your network
•
Connect to LinkedIn job postings
•
Network your way into a company
Homework!
ABC Challenge:
A – Assessing Your On-Line Presence (see handout)
B – Begin with LinkedIN
C – Cultivate Relationships! Reach out to 5 on-line
professional contacts.
QUESTIONS
Thank You for Participating!
• A follow up survey will be sent to participants via
email – please take the time to complete it!
• For other resources related to career planning and
job search, please visit our Resource Centre in the
Learning Commons and/or visit our website:
http://www.brocku.ca/career-services