This is a presentation deck used during a session at Algonquin College where I was a guest speaker. Students in this class are soon to be graduating and this was a time to discuss: Would your identity help or hinder your job search?

1. Julie Harrison / Guest Speaker

2. Feel free to live tweet our session today!
Hashtags & Handles: @ACschoolofmedia @algonquincolleg
@coffeewithjulie #BusinessAdGrads

3. Tweetable: If you’re online, then you have an identity - whether you want one
or not! – says @coffeewithjulie to #BusinessAdGrads @algonquincolleg

4.  1 in 4 hiring managers used search engines to screen
candidates (source: CareerBuilder)
 80 percent of companies polled planned to increase their use
of social media for recruiting in 2011 (source: Corporate
Executive Board, Arlington)
Tweetable: Will your online identity help or hinder your chances of getting an
interview? #BusinessAdGrads

5.  Live tweets from career-related events or charitable causes you
support
 Links to thoughtful, intelligent blog posts that you’ve written
 A professionally designed and written portfolio website
 A complete LinkedIn profile with recommendations and work
samples
 A privacy-protected Facebook account
 A few personal tidbits and photos with friends

6.  Live tweets from booze-filled parties
 Ranting blog posts that are poorly written and demonstrate no
understanding of basic grammar
 No ownership of your name online, only ties to social media
channels
 No LinkedIn profile or one that is incomplete
 Countless selfies, including ones where you are half-dressed
Tweetable: 1 in 4 recruiters use social media screening before setting up an
interview #BusinessAdGrads @algonquincolleg

7. WIFI ISSUES @ ALGONQUINCOLLEG
Countless tweets
which curse, swear,
rant and rage over
the issue start
showing up in the
College’s tweet
stream
A well-written blog post
versus
Authored by @WrenInDoubt,
this post was widely read by
leaders within the College
and read out loud at the
School of Business Townhall

8. Nice!

9.  Facebook is constantly changing how its privacy settings work.
Keep on it! This can make or break your chance at a job.
 Remember: depending on your settings, friends of friends can
see your photos if they are “liked” or commented on. Who
knows who is connected to who out there!
 Best rule of thumb is the “Grandma rule”: If you wouldn’t say it
in front of your grandmother, don’t say it on a social media
channel (regardless of any privacy settings!).
 Good tips:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/facebook/10370861/1
1-ways-to-protect-your-privacy-on-Facebook.html

10.  Live tweets from career-related events or charitable causes you
support
 Links to thoughtful, intelligent blog posts that you’ve written
 A professionally designed and written portfolio website
 A complete LinkedIn profile with recommendations and work
samples
 A privacy-protected Facebook account
 A few personal tidbits and photos with friends

11.  Register a domain in your own name
(example: www.susanbrown.com)
 Don’t have anything to fill a site with? No worries  point the
domain to your LinkedIn profile or load a basic blogging
template up with your contact information and a professional
looking headshot.
 Claim your name: Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Pinterest
Learn from @coffeewithjulie and buy your own domain name NOW
before someone else claims it! #BusinessAdGrads @algonquincolleg

12.  Keep your online identity organized by having one “home”
space where people can go to learn about you.
 This can be your own domain or you can also use a tool like
about.me
@coffeewithjulie rec’s the tool @aboutdotme as helpful for a consolidated
profile @algonquincolleg

13. http://about.me/julieharrison

17. • Image does not match the profile text

18. • Spelling and grammar mistakes in profile

19.  “How to write your about.me page,” at www.problogger.net
 “30 inspiring “about me” pages,” at www.sixrevisions.com
 “What is about.me” on YouTube by http://about.me/rjacquez

20.  Wordpress.com
 Blogger.com
 Wix.com
Remember:
 When you use a free tool, you do not own the content. It can be
removed and all your content lost at any time.
 When you use a free tool, the owner will place advertisements
on your site. You will have no control over these.

21.  Owning a domain name: $10 - $30 a year
 Hosting for a site: $75 - $200 a year
 Domain + Hosting = approximately $10/month in costs
Cautions:
 Do your research. Don’t go for the cheapest option. It’s a real
headache if things go wrong.

22. Cons:
 Requires significant investment in time
 Does not provide immediate payoffs
 Can clash with your “professional brand” if you’re not careful
(don’t get Dooced!)
Want to start a blog? @coffeewithjulie cautions that 95% of blogs fail.
Requires commitment and planning! #BusinessAdGrads @algonquincolleg

23. Pros:
 Establishes yourself as a thought leader; builds your “brand.”
 Your site; you own it. Always.
 Provides an opportunity to improve writing, technology, and
analytical skills.
 Helps extend your network of contacts.
 Search engines love blogs (increases your visibility).

24. 1.
To market or promote something
2.
To establish yourself as an expert
3.
To connect with like-minded people
4.
To help people; make a difference
5.
To stay knowledgeable and up-to-date
“Small biz who blog have 97% more inbound links, 434% more indexed
pages and 55% more visitors” #algonquincolleg #BusinessAdGrads

25.  To build-out my network of contacts as a means to increase
freelance writing assignments.
 To learn about blogging and digital marketing in a hands-on,
“safe” way.
 To have a creative outlet for writing on topics that were of
interest to me.

26. www.CaffeineCommmunications.ca

27. www.coffeewithJulie.ca / www.julieharrison.ca

28.  To be an early adopter for new trends and tools for digital
marketing (I can adopt them before my employer might)
 To have a creative outlet for writing on topics that are of interest
to me.
 I love my blogging community.

29. The Business =
WellmanWilson Consulting
wellmanwilson.com/blog
The Blog =
The Media Mesh
wellmanwilson.com/blog

30. The Business =
Brandvelope Consulting
www.brandvelope.com
The Blog =
Beg to Differ
www.begtodiffer.com

31. The Business =
Memory Mosaics
www.memorymosaics.ca
The Blog =
Tell me a Story
www.memorymosaics.ca/blog

32. The Business =
Ryan Parent
Photography
www.ryanparentphoto.com
The Blog =
Parent Studios
www.ryanparentphoto.com

33. Kelly Rusk
• Algonquin College
Alumni
• Works at PR Agency
Banfield-Seguin Ltd
• President of the IABC
Ottawa Chapter
• Established rep as a
digital savvy “geek girl”
www.kellyrusk.ca

34. Joe Boughner
• Digital Strategist
• Works at Non-Linear
Creations
• Online instructor for
social media at Algonquin
• Popular speaker on all
things digital
www.joeboughner.ca

35. Nick Charney
• Canadian Public
Service Renewal
• Public servant
whose extracurricular writing
and blogging have
helped to fast-track
his career
www.cpsrenewal.ca

36. Check out my blog:
http://www.julieharrison.ca/living/what-guidance-would-yougive-to-an-algonquin-college-student-on-online-identity-andcareer-advancement/ (October 25, 2012)
http://www.julieharrison.ca/living/if-you-were-an-algonquincollege-advertising-student/ (March 8, 2010)
Thanks for
having me!