What Grad
School Didn’t
TeachYouAbout
Your Digital Life.
with Josie Ahlquist and Paul Gordon Brown

Josie Ahlquist
EdD Candidate at
California Lutheran University
www.josieahlquist.com
josie.renee.ahlquist@gmail.com
@josieahlquist
Paul Gordon Brown
PhD Candidate at
Boston College
www.paulgordonbrown.com
paulgordonbrown@gmail.com
@paulgordonbrown.com

Goals for this session.
Recognize current trends in the use of social and digital
technologies.
Understand one’s current digital presence and how to
influence it.
Understand the importance of digital networking.
Know the basics of building an online and offline brand.
Be exposed to social and digital tools and how to use
them to further professional development and reputation.

Outline.
Social Media Realities
Your Digital Presence
Your Network
Build a Brand
Platforms and Practices
Final Thoughts
Q&A

#SAidentity
This session is Twitter-friendly.
@paulgordonbrown
@josieahlquist

You don’t
Expert
have to be an

Social Media Realities.

Social Media Realities
Social media is becoming an ever present reality.
Search committees and recruiters will search you online
and look at your social media profiles.
Be aware of what you post online and the effects it can
have on your job search.
Review

Your Digital Presence.

Your Digital Presence
You have a digital stamp (what you post) and digital
footprints (what others post) whether you want to or not.
Be aware of what is tout there when people search for
you. Be aware of what your social media profiles say
about you.
The best defense is a good offense. Define what you
want others to find rather than allowing them to define it
for you.
Review

Build a Brand.

Build a Brand
Define a digital compass for yourself. What do you want
to be known for?
Write a brief professional bio that sums up who you are.
Make it appropriate for posting online.
Get a good headshot.
Decide what platforms and technologies you want to be
present on and what your unique screen name will be.
Squat the screen name.
Review

Your Network.

Free, Low or No Cost
Professional
Development

Your Network
Building a professional network is important. Social
networks can help you solidify and leverage these
relationships.
Develop a personal learning network or environment. A
space where you can draw on professional knowledge
and others.
Integrate free and low cost professional development
into your daily routine.
Review

Platforms and Practices.

LinkedIn

Twitter

conferences
use at

#sachat
#satech
#fachat
#salead
#SLchat
#WLsalt
#sagrad
#sadoc
#sapro
#safit
#sareads

#SAsearch

Facebook

Facebook Groups
• Student Activities Professionals
• NASPA Technology Knowledge Community
• Student Affairs Professionals
• Student Affairs Runners
• Student Affairs Faculty

read/write a
blog

blogs…
studentaffairscollective.org
studentaffairsfirstyears.com
studentaffairsfit.com
paulgordonbrown.com
michaelanthonygoodman.com
josieahlquist.com
lizgross.net
Go to www.StudentAffairsResources.com to find more!

The Placement Exchange
ACPA’s Career Central

Create a Professional
Portfolio

determineyour presence

Platforms and Practices
LinkedIn - Get on it! Update it! Connect. Attempt to
achieve 100% profile completeness.
Twitter - Tweet regularly. Know the common hashtags
used. Participate in a Twitter chat. Use it at
conferences.
Facebook - Check your privacy settings. Be aware of
who you friend and what you post. Use the Graph
Search feature.
Review

Platforms and Practices
Write a Blog - Consider starting a blog. Read and
comment on other’s blogs.
Create a Professional Portfolio - Archive your professional
work with examples. Upload conference presentations.
Create an online landing page or resume.
Review

Final Thoughts.

it takes
TIME

Be consistent
Be dedicated

You might
“STEP
IN IT”

cements
relationships
social media

glue
acts like a

go analog

Resources.

Q&A

#SAidentity
This session is Twitter-friendly.
@paulgordonbrown
@josieahlquist

Josie Ahlquist
EdD Candidate at
California Lutheran University
www.josieahlquist.com
josie.renee.ahlquist@gmail.com
@josieahlquist
Paul Gordon Brown
PhD Candidate at
Boston College
www.paulgordonbrown.com
paulgordonbrown@gmail.com
@paulgordonbrown.com

What Grad
School Didn’t
TeachYouAbout
Your Digital Life.
with Josie Ahlquist and Paul Gordon Brown