YOUR ONLINE PRESENCE: Who, What, Where, Why, and How

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YOUR ONLINE PRESENCE Who, What, Where, Why, and
How?

• Sarah L. Nesbeitt, M.A., M.I.L.S.
• Booth Library, Eastern Illinois University
• SLA-Upstate NY Chapter Fall Meeting
• November 8, 2002

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OUTLINE

• Introduction Why develop an online presence?
• Online networking
• Electronic resumes
• The online portfolio
• Questions?

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The Anonymity of the Internet
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• We now routinely do web searches on every
  candidate we plan to interview. Consider that
  blog you posted in casual online discussion, for
  instance. Did you mean for it to be read by the
  whole world? Of course not! Is it going to be?
  Maybe. If we're interviewing you and we can find
  it on the web, we're going to read it.
• Cheryl LaGuardia and Ed Tallent,
  Interviewing Beware
• Blogging Blunders, Library Journal, Sept.
  15, 2002

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What does the Internet say about you?
Take the Google challenge!
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ONLINE NETWORKING
The most important thing in online
communication is to employ electronic media
consciously and deliberately as part of a larger
strategy for your career. Phil Agre,
Networking on the Network. Retrieved October
12, 2002 from http//dlis.gseis.ucla.edu/people/p
agre/network.html
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ONLINE NETWORKING What is it?

• It includes any communication you do online both
  discussion lists and individual e-mail messages
  (see http//liblists.wrlc.org/home.htm)
• Its about people, not technology
• Its a long-term investment
• Its only the beginning not an end in itself

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ONLINE NETWORKINGWhy do it?

• It makes it easier to connect with others over
  time or physical distance
• It makes possible conversations that never would
  have happened in the pre-Internet environment
• It can help put everyone on an equal footing but
  you still need to be an active participant for it
  to work for you

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ONLINE NETWORKINGHow do you participate?

• Join a relevant discussion list
• Contribute! But contribute intelligently
• Things to keep in mind
• Follow netiquette
• Your words arent private
• Electronic communication lacks visual cues
• Stay professional at all times

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ONLINE NETWORKINGSome Signs of Unprofessional
Communication

• Obnoxious, offensive or just plain annoying
  signature files
• --------------------------------------------------
  ------------
• Jennifer M. Smith
• Reference Librarian, Springfield Public Library
• VOTE DEMOCRATIC! Keep our country liberal and
  free.
• To infinityand beyond! Buzz Lightyear, Toy
  Story
• Anyone hiring? Check out my resume!
• http//www.lisjobs.com/careerdev/demoresume.htm
• --------------------------------------------------
  ------------

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ONLINE NETWORKINGSome Signs of Unprofessional
Communication

• Ignorance of netiquette
• FLAMES sent to a discussion list
• Attachments sent to a discussion list
• Poor spelling or grammar
• Private communication sent to a public forum
• Blatant self-promotion and other forms of online
  advertising

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ONLINE NETWORKINGReaping the Benefits

• Developing relationships with peers, mentors, and
  even mentees
• Keeping current in your profession
• Becoming known in the field
• Hearing from and getting known to potential
  (or future) employers
• You never know where it might lead!

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ELECTRONIC RESUMESWhat are they?

• Autobiographical documents that contain a summary
  of your professional qualifications and
  experience
• Overall content of your e-resume should be
  identical to that of your print resume with
  some differences in format and style (more info
  on this later)

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ELECTRONIC RESUMESWhy use them?

• Can be sent to employers, or viewed by them, at
  any time of day or night
• Eliminates delay of snail mail
• Distribution within employers organization is
  faster

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ELECTRONIC RESUMESWhy use them?

• Indicates technological ability to employers
• Useful for more than just the job search
• Wider distribution and publicity of your skills
  via the web

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ELECTRONIC RESUMESWhen should you use them?

• Read the job ad
• If unsure, ask about possible formats
• Beware of sending them unsolicited.

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Nesbeitt, S.L. Trends in Internet-Based Library
Recruitment, Internet Reference Services
Quarterly, v.4 no.2, 1999, pp.23-40.

• In a 1997 survey, 67 of library employers who
  received resumes with URLs for the applicants
  home page made a point of visiting those web
  sites.
• Five years later, this figure can only have
  increased.

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ELECTRONIC RESUMES
Think you dont have an electronic resume?
Think again!
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ELECTRONIC RESUMESThree Formats

• ASCII (Plain Text)
• MS Word / Word Processor
• HTML (Web)

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The ASCII (Plain Text) Resume
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The ASCII (Plain Text) Resume

• ADVANTAGES
• Easy to create- Convenient to send within an
  e-mail message- Can cut and paste into online
  forms - Anyone can read it
• DISADVANTAGES
• Plain, unattractive format (no formatting)-
  Unfavorable comparisons with other resumes
  (especially when printed)

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The ASCII (Plain Text) Resume

• HOW do you create it?
• Use any text editor (Notepad) OR- Save your MS
  Word resume as text only with line breaks .
  and then reload this document in Notepad

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The ASCII (Plain Text) Resume

• FORMATTING TIPS
• Use a fixed-width font - Use space bar to
  indent and center text- Hit ENTER after each
  line- Use asterisks or hyphens, not bullets-
  Type no more than 65 characters per line- Use
  CAPS to highlight words and horizontal lines to
  indicate sections .. but dont go crazy

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The ASCII (Plain Text) Resume

• SENDING TIPS
• Include it within the text of an e-mail (not
  as an attachment) - Test it before sending it
  out for real- Dont forget to include a cover
  letter

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The MS Word Resume
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The MS Word Resume
ADVANTAGES- You probably already have one-
Fonts, bulleted lists, centering, and all sorts
of neat formatting available- Spelling and
grammar check available- Looks great when
printedDISADVANTAGES- Some employers cant
read attachments (or choose not to)- Some
formatting may be lost in translation- They
can carry viruses!
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The MS Word Resume

• FORMATTING TIPS
• Keep to standards
• Avoid weird and uncommon fonts
• Use 1 margins
• Dont rely on soft carriage returns
• Basically do all you can to ensure that the
  version the employer receives is identical to the
  one that you send.

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The HTML (Web) Resume
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The HTML (Web) Resume

• ADVANTAGES
• Basic version easy to create from Word- Its a
  chance to be more creative- Length not as much
  an issue- You can add external links
• DISADVANTAGES
• Its tempting to go overboard with graphics
  and fancy web design techniques dont give
  in!- Its up to you to publicize it (more on
  this later)

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The HTML (Web) Resume
ADDING CONTENT FOR THE WEB- Add external
hyperlinks previous institutions,
employers web-based projects articles youve
written- Include (and link) your e-mail
address- Use graphics and color within
reason- Provide date of last revision
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The HTML (Web) Resume

• REMOVING CONTENT FROM THE WEB
• Home address and telephone number- Names and
  addresses of references- Position-specific
  objectives, even if you are job hunting-
  Photographs of yourself (this depends)- Any
  information on marital or family status, or
  personal interests

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Your Online PortfolioWhat is it?

• A collection of web sites which showcase your
  abilities and contributions to the profession
• Built around your electronic, web-based resume,
  or around your professional home page

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Your Online PortfolioWhy create one?

• Simple bookmark management
• Advertisement for business or freelance
  services, or simply promotion of your skills and
  activities
• Place to collect all of your web-based projects
• Place to display print projects which youve
  digitized
• Good practice for web design skills

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Your Online PortfolioWhat should it contain?

• Your online portfolio should have a purpose
  what can you offer the library profession? What
  product do you wish to promote?
• Examples of items to include PowerPoint
  presentations online articles student papers
  speeches and other writings, all hyperlinked in
  an organized fashion
• Original resources created for the online
  library community, such as newsletters and weblogs

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Your Online PortfolioWhere should you post it?

• Your library schools personal web space

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Your Online PortfolioWhere should you post it?

• - Your employers personal web space (careful,
  though, if youre job-hunting)
• Free web sites such as Angelfire, Geocities,
  50megs, etc(but beware of advertising)

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Your Online PortfolioHow can you promote it?

• Have it linked from your online resume, and vice
  versa
• Have it linked from your alma mater
• Mention it in your bio for articles that you
  write
• Include URL in your e-mail signature file
• Include URL in your print resume when you send
  it to employers

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In all, follow the principles of good web
design(Unlike this example)
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In all, follow the principles of good web
design

• Stick to standard fonts
• Avoid javascript, animated graphics, noisy
  backgrounds, scrolling text, and sound
• Check it using a variety of browsers- Keep it
  clean, simple, and professional

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Concluding Comments
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Concluding Comments

• Be proactive, without being blatantly
  self-promoting, and youll be on your way to
  online success!
• Keep the principles of librarianship in mind
  while taking advantage of this new medium to
  build your careers

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Concluding Comments
Use online career development in conjunction
with traditional opportunities
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Concluding Comments
Online activities make it relatively easy to
become known to a large number of your peers in a
relatively short time. So why not get started,
if you havent already?
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Any questions?