This is something I wrote up as a guide for a friend who wondered about how to create a web presence. I am by no means a professional, but over the past year or so, I've put a fair amount of time into my personal brand.
First off, create a very professional email address with the name you want to create। mine is orosz।rachel@gmail.com. it's easy to remember and makes me easy to find. I made sure my name is in all of my website domains as well, and that all my sign in names for all these site bears my name.
Then create a blog or other personal website. Update it with your best work. Did really well on a homework assignment? Figure out something cool to do with code? Blog about it. Progress on a personal project? Update on your site! If you can figure it out, have someplace people can download your most current version of your resume. Check your website for a way to be authenticated with google if you feel like bothering, it will make your website come up higher when people google your name.
Create a professional twitter. This is VERY different from your personal twitter. Your personal twitter should have a name that only you and your friends know. Update it about professional things. Some examples from mine are:
"Staying up late working on a proposal, but I have a very cute cat distracting me.... must... resist... CUTENESS!"
"Spent the morning sick, I have a fever, and half of the material of the presentation changed last night.. But I can still rock the pitch!"
"Spending more time picking out a new hairstyle for this character than I ever do for my own."
Notice how they relate to my work, but still show my personal flair. I bring to my twitter what I bring to work, a good attitude and strong work ethic. It can be a VERY therapeutic break to tweet quickly about what your working on. Just remember though, people can see this.
Create a linkedin, use it like a very professional version of facebook. Get connected to all of your professional contacts. Upload your resume to it. Ask for recommendations. This is your internet resume. You have more flexibility here, but I promise you it won't be as pretty as your real resume.
If you have videos, make a youtube account to post them.
Make a personal logo if you have the ability. If you aren't really sure how to do it, try playing around with the letters of your name to make a cool symbol. This is how I made my logo, and I'm an artist. Pick a color scheme that looks professional. I recommend to non artists to use a website called Kuler, it will allow you to make a color palette that looks good without much effort.
Last but not least, now that you've made everything, go ahead and take your logo and color scheme and implement them in each of your websites where it is tasteful. As you are doing this, look for the appropriate places to connect all of you sites.
Make sure to pick one of these are your main hub for everything.
*TIP! If you have a business card you like, take the cue from that too make your web presence. If you don't, when you make your own business cards use the same logo and color scheme as a starting point.
**Use your logo in the header of your resume's and cover letters. It's a visual that differentiates you from the crowd.
So I hope this was interesting to some of you! This is all based on my experience with web presences and from what I've learned from professors and online.
First off, create a very professional email address with the name you want to create। mine is orosz।rachel@gmail.com. it's easy to remember and makes me easy to find. I made sure my name is in all of my website domains as well, and that all my sign in names for all these site bears my name.
Then create a blog or other personal website. Update it with your best work. Did really well on a homework assignment? Figure out something cool to do with code? Blog about it. Progress on a personal project? Update on your site! If you can figure it out, have someplace people can download your most current version of your resume. Check your website for a way to be authenticated with google if you feel like bothering, it will make your website come up higher when people google your name.
Create a professional twitter. This is VERY different from your personal twitter. Your personal twitter should have a name that only you and your friends know. Update it about professional things. Some examples from mine are:
"Staying up late working on a proposal, but I have a very cute cat distracting me.... must... resist... CUTENESS!"
"Spent the morning sick, I have a fever, and half of the material of the presentation changed last night.. But I can still rock the pitch!"
"Spending more time picking out a new hairstyle for this character than I ever do for my own."
Notice how they relate to my work, but still show my personal flair. I bring to my twitter what I bring to work, a good attitude and strong work ethic. It can be a VERY therapeutic break to tweet quickly about what your working on. Just remember though, people can see this.
Create a linkedin, use it like a very professional version of facebook. Get connected to all of your professional contacts. Upload your resume to it. Ask for recommendations. This is your internet resume. You have more flexibility here, but I promise you it won't be as pretty as your real resume.
If you have videos, make a youtube account to post them.
Make a personal logo if you have the ability. If you aren't really sure how to do it, try playing around with the letters of your name to make a cool symbol. This is how I made my logo, and I'm an artist. Pick a color scheme that looks professional. I recommend to non artists to use a website called Kuler, it will allow you to make a color palette that looks good without much effort.
Last but not least, now that you've made everything, go ahead and take your logo and color scheme and implement them in each of your websites where it is tasteful. As you are doing this, look for the appropriate places to connect all of you sites.
Make sure to pick one of these are your main hub for everything.
*TIP! If you have a business card you like, take the cue from that too make your web presence. If you don't, when you make your own business cards use the same logo and color scheme as a starting point.
**Use your logo in the header of your resume's and cover letters. It's a visual that differentiates you from the crowd.
So I hope this was interesting to some of you! This is all based on my experience with web presences and from what I've learned from professors and online.
