It probably goes without saying that having an online presence as a recent graduate is important, right? Yet, the key is creating an online presence that makes sense for your field of study, your niche and your career goals.
The good news is that creating and polishing your online presence doesn't need to be difficult. In the video below, Bethany talks about how she's been working on her online presence before she heads off to NYU:
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To help you through the process, I'm dedicating this chapter to the steps you'll want to take in order to get your online presence ready before you head out on to your next big move.
Assessing your current presence is the best place to start. Do you have a Facebook page, LinkedIn profile and Twitter account set up? How appropriate is your Instagram feed? Have you thought about creating a simple online portfolio? I urge you to write down everywhere you're likely to show up should someone run your name through a google search.
Let's talk about social media for a moment. You do not need to be using every social platform under the sun, however, it is important to think about where people will look first. then, you'll want to polish those accounts. Are there inappropriate photos floating around Facebook? It's time to decide if those need to be out there on the web and if your account should be set to private. If you're on Twitter do you share knowledge about your industry as much as you share about your personal life? If not, do a little research and start sharing links to interesting (and applicable) articles or studies.
The main goal is to make yourself appear as knowledgable, responsible and employable as possible. This—in no way—means your online presence should be devoid of personality. By all means, let your true colors shine right on through! You'll simply want to remove anything that might be a red flag for hiring managers, potential mentors and/or clients.
Yes, I'm telling you to invest in professional-looking head shots, but don't worry—they needn't be expensive or elaborate. My first set of head shots were taken in a local park by a friend who simply loves photography. I paid him a nominal amount of money, we got to hang out for an afternoon, he was able to practice his favorite hobby and I ended up with a disc full of great photos to use however I saw fit.
Remember, the goal with your head shots is to project a professional appearance while showing your true personality. Photographers are great resources and will be happy to tell you what to wear, how to pose and what location might work best.
Once you have your digital photos, pick a favorite and use it almost exclusively across the web. Though I generally shy away from using the term "personal brand," consistent use of one or two photos will help people recognize you across all of your online channels.
If you haven't already snagged a professional-looking email address, now is the time. You'll want to keep it as simple as possible—just some version of your name and perhaps a number or two if an email address with just your name is already taken.
Acceptable to those who will be coming across your email address:
Less acceptable:
Going back to the idea of having a personal brand, you'll want to make sure that anyone who might come across your email address will be able to put a face and name to your email correspondence.
Online portfolios will differ based on your career goals and field of study, but having a centralized place where potential clients, hiring managers and contacts can find you and get in touch with you is of the utmost importance. Yes, people can contact you through your various social media accounts, but having a dedicated website will put you one step ahead.
If the though of creating a website terrifies you, don't fret—you are not alone! Luckily, several platforms exist these days that make creating an online portfolio incredibly simple. Here are a few tips to get you started:
Secure a web address with your name in it. Mine is jenniferesnyder.com and yes, I had to add my middle initial because jennifersnyder.com was taken at the time. You can go through virtually any hosting service to secure a URL. I use Hover and have had zero complaints, but there are hundreds of places to secure a domain name.
Decide on a web platform. If you're interested in building your own website, platforms like WordPress.com and Squarespace make it fairly simple. I've had no formal training and have set up several different websites and blogs over the years using platforms like these.
Use a platform with a template. While several online portfolio template platforms exist, one of the most visually pleasing and easy to use platforms I've come across is about.me.
Still not sure you want to tackle this yourself? Reach out to your classmates and contacts to see if anyone would want to help build you a website. It doesn't hurt to ask!
Once you've set up and polished your online presence, you must share it! This is not a "build it and they will come" scenario. Sharing your website with friends, family and contacts is a great way to start letting the world know you're serious about your next move!
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Now that you've set up an online presence, you can go just about anywhere.
Let's talk about why travel can help you in your post-graduation career goals...