Taking Control of Social Media for Your Career

Cindy Royal, Ph.DAssociate ProfessorTexas State UniversitySchool of Journalism and Mass Communication

croyal@txstate.educindyroyal.com@cindyroyalslideshare.net/cindyroyal

When nothing, or nothing good, is found about you, you end up in the "less likely" or "no" piles.

•Google yourself•Google others in your field and compare•Work on public image•Not optional any longer

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/susan-p-joyce/job-search-tips_b_4834361.html

• You used a hotmail or aol email

• I can’t find you on Google• Your last tweet was from

2011• Inappropriate public

Facebook photos• LinkedIn photo is a selfie• You haven’t written

anything since college

Now there are countless channels to publish your work, so whether you self-publish through LinkedIn, post to Medium, or just keep your own blog current, you should be able to provide a current work sample that doesn’t have your college professor’s edits all over it.

Start a Blog

Blogging allows you to explore your passions, improve writing skills, communicate with others who share your interest

LinkedIn • Your LinkedIn profile can connect you to thousands of professionals

• Search for connections at companies of interest• Create a LinkedIn profile that reflects your

interests and background much like a resume• Include your Website on your LinkedIn profile

Facebook • Facebook is a fun place to share with friends• But remember, any friend can be a potential

career contact• Friend faculty and professional contacts, as

long as you keep your Facebook activities professional and above board. Use privacy settings and friends lists carefully. As an alternate, subscribe to people, allow them to subscribe to you

Twitter• Start a Twitter account; free & simple• Follow interesting people in your field.• Use widgets to repurpose

to your Web site or blog. New content all the time.

• Respond to questions• Retweet interesting items

Photosand Visuals

• Instagram - add filters to photos; share with your friends (Facebook purchased in 2013)

• Pinterest – another visual platform; pin items; grouping

• Tumblr – a blogging platform that relies heavily on the visual (Yahoo purchased in 2013)

• Snapchat – follow brands; experiment with stories

Video • Use your phone• Learn to use simple editing software

like iMovie or Windows MovieMaker• YouTube

Go Mobile• Find apps that will allow you to expand

your social media activities• News apps help you stay in touch• Social media apps – allow you to post

when you are on the go.• Periscope – live stream

video from phone

Location-based• Foursquare (NYC)

• Location as part of other apps, like Yelp, Facebook, Twitter, etc.

• Share location, photos with friends

• Get tips and recommendations

• Locations can provide incentives to users

• Integration with Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, etc.

Messaging• WhatsApp• GroupMe

AnalyticsUse Google Analytics or those associated with your blog platform to get information about users, locations, link referrals, etc.

NetworkingAttend networking events and use social to stay in touch with contacts.

Future• Wearables• Virtual Reality/360 Video• Robotics• Data• Drones & sensors• Second-screen

engagement• Coding for

everyone

Leveraging Social• Employers look at social presence• Digital/social media planning likely a part of many careers:

social media editor, PR, event planners, marketing• Demonstrate comfort, expertise, enthusiasm• Social media careers include strategy and analytics• Make contacts, ask questions, learn about companies• Use social network to complement in-person networking• Stay up-to-date conceptually, as well • Try new things, have fun!

Don’t…• Curse or use foul language• Describe illegal activities• Exhibit rude behavior, explicitly sexual• Denigrate religion, politician, political group,

ethnicity, etc.• Use poor spelling and grammar• Seem to be drunk/drugged• Slam current employer• Discuss your search for a new job

http://www.careerbuilder.com/share/aboutus/pressreleasesdetail.aspx?sd=6%2F26%2F2014&id=pr829&ed=12%2F31%2F2014

Resources SXSW Interactive Read Tech blogs like Mashable, TechCrunch,

SmashingMag, Wired.Tech section of NY Times and FastCompany.com

Nieman Lab, PBS MediaShift We The Media by Dan Gillmor Convergence Culture by Henry Jenkins The Long Tail and Free by Chris Anderson What Would Google Do? by Jeff Jarvis Remix by Lawrence Lessig Digital Journalism journal –

www.tandfonline.com/loi/rdij20 International Symposium in Online Journalism –

https://online.journalism.utexas.edu/ Digital Riptide – digitalriptide.org