Improving Your Digital Footprint Judith Baines , Careers Service Matt Lingard , Centre for Learning Technology

What are going to cover? What is your digital footprint? Why is it important? Finding your footprint Taking advantage of it Beware your digital footprint!

What is your digital footprint?

Why is it important?

Finding your footprint

Taking advantage of it

Beware your digital footprint!

Why? 25% of employers are checking on candidates prior to offering them a job Charities and retail firms least likely Media, professional services and finance most likely Personnel Today, UK

25% of employers are checking on candidates prior to offering them a job

Charities and retail firms least likely

Media, professional services and finance most likely

Personnel Today, UK

Why it matters? Rejected? (% of candidates affected) Information about them drinking or using drugs (41%) Provocative or inappropriate photographs or information (40%) Poor communication skills (29%) Hired? Background supported their qualifications for the job (48%) Great communication skills (43%) Good fit for the company’s culture (40%) CareerBuilder.com

Rejected? (% of candidates affected)

Information about them drinking or using drugs (41%)

Provocative or inappropriate photographs or information (40%)

Poor communication skills (29%)

Hired?

Background supported their qualifications for the job (48%)

Great communication skills (43%)

Good fit for the company’s culture (40%)

CareerBuilder.com

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

“… 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

First Find Your Footprint Google Yourself! Then automate it…

Taking advantage Build a positive online presence Make contacts / Expand your network “ Be a content producer, not just a consumer, in order to be visible to recruiters” Dan Schawbel, Personal Branding Expert Added bonus – learn about your job sector

Build a positive online presence

Make contacts / Expand your network

“ Be a content producer, not just a consumer, in order to be visible to recruiters”

Dan Schawbel, Personal Branding Expert

Added bonus – learn about your job sector

Commenting

Finding Blogs Specialist search tools Technorati Google Blogs Intute

Specialist search tools

Technorati

Google Blogs

Intute

Commenting

Blogging

Writing Blogs Free Blogging tools Blogger Wordpress

Free Blogging tools

Blogger

Wordpress

‘ Social’ Networking

‘ Social’ Networking

Networking

Networking

Networking

Beware your digital footprint! you should approach blogging with some caution – and be careful not to ruin your career prospects Gavin Whenman, Blogger, Diaries of UK Law Students We won’t hold drunken pictures against you, it helps build up a picture Director of Digital Strategies, Racepoint Group UK

you should approach blogging with some caution – and be careful not to ruin your career prospects

Gavin Whenman, Blogger, Diaries of UK Law Students

We won’t hold drunken pictures against you, it helps build up a picture

Director of Digital Strategies, Racepoint Group UK

Beware your digital footprint! In 2006, a number of Metropolitan police officers were disciplined after posting a series of joke videos on Facebook The Guardian, August, 2008 Oxford University staff are logging on to Facebook and using evidence they find on student profiles to discipline students Media Guardian, July, 2007

In 2006, a number of Metropolitan police officers were disciplined after posting a series of joke videos on Facebook

The Guardian, August, 2008

Oxford University staff are logging on to Facebook and using evidence they find on student profiles to discipline students

Media Guardian, July, 2007

“… BNP [Paribas] does has a track record of messing people up... BNP graduate recruitment is very poorly managed...” “ intern” on NiCube Discussion Forum 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

Finally… Links: http://delicious.com/LSECareers/DigitalFootprint/ Questions?

Links:

http://delicious.com/LSECareers/DigitalFootprint/

Questions?