My Digital Footprint - Blog #3

After searching for my digital footprint I have become aware that I am a digital ghost.  If a future employer searched for any information about me they would not find anything but a Facebook account and a few Youtube music videos of my past rock bands to refer to. Upon referring to this information they would probably be less than impressed with my value as an employee, unless they are seeking a guitarist. Rethinking and reinventing my digital reputation is a crucial step to prepare for my next career move as a teacher if I intend to attract prominent employers.

Evaluation of my Facebook account revealed several issues that would not be condoned as part of a professional digital footprint.  Six years ago, when I first opened the account, my plan was to message family and friends and pass along photos of my adventures in Asia.  I wanted to convey the message of travelling, rocking, and generally having a great time.

Of course, this is not conducive to a brillant teacher's reputation. I'm sure that even some of my friends and family are not impressed with some of the content of my Facebook page. Having realized the importance of my digital footprint, both professionally and personally, I need to rethink my plan as to what kind of personal information I need and want to publish online.

Initially, I need to address some of the unsuitable photographic content on my Facebook page.  A potent stain remover ought to unsoil any inappropriate photographs, posts and comments and virtually renew my happy-go-lucky online reputation.

Once that is complete, my new plan will go into effect.  I will make an online reputation with profiles on specific sites that portray a highly effective and well-trained teacher that employers will want to hire and others will be impressed and inspired by. These sites will include; Twitter, Google, and Facebook (and more when I become aware of other satisfactorily interesting sites). Podcasts and Youtube videos are also methods that I will make use of to portray my digital reputation. I will also publish a professional portfolio on an impacting webpage in hopes of improving my online reputation immensely for future employers and colleagues, as well as, family and friends.

This plan will reinvent my old digital footprint and kickstart a new one.  Once my profiles have been established on these social networking sites, I will continue to develop my reputation by staying active and updating my profiles and settings as required. There is a lot of information to be gained from a lot of individuals online. Commenting on other's posts and receiving comments on my posts will certainly keep the information flowing and help me develop an effective, marketable online reputation.