Having started UOSM2008 with half of an IT degree my
computer literacy was high, but my long-term management of my presence on the
web was lacking.
At the start of the module I had a blog that I very occasionally updated, a twitter profile that had surges of
activity, a LinkedIn profile with the bare minimum of details on it, and an About.Me with a picture of a turtle on it!
Now that I have completed this module my online identity is
in much better standing, and I like to think that my chances of employment have increased as a result. I've also leant a lot about peer reviewing of work and the benefits that this can bring.
 |
| Personal Twitter |
 |
| Sharing Ideas |
The blog posts have allowed me to share ideas between
peers and to get opinions that I would never have come across otherwise. A great example is some of the comments on Topic 2.
Many of the posts have close links with IT and therefore will be very useful for referring to in future interviews. This is especially true of Topic 1, which I have already spoken to members of industry about at a leadership conference I attended.
The feedback also allowed me to improve my posts using a Kaizan approach. This process of continuous improvement allowed me to develop my ideas each week.
Many of the posts have close links with IT and therefore will be very useful for referring to in future interviews. This is especially true of Topic 1, which I have already spoken to members of industry about at a leadership conference I attended.
The feedback also allowed me to improve my posts using a Kaizan approach. This process of continuous improvement allowed me to develop my ideas each week.
My personal twitter page was purely used for social networking with
friends and occasionally with business such as Gloucester Rugby RFC.
 |
 |
The new account allows me to interact with peers, share ideas and discuss different concepts and opinions.
My LinkedIn profile has been transformed. I started to build
my professional network through friends of friends and connect with university lecturers.
Adding my g-mail account really helped find connections.
I also used Scribd to have a copy of my CV on the site as well. Endorsements have also helped to build the professionalism and credibility of my page. The best feature in my opinion is the jobs you might be interested in e-mails that I receive, these take into account your activity on LinkedIn and are tailored appropriately.
I also used Scribd to have a copy of my CV on the site as well. Endorsements have also helped to build the professionalism and credibility of my page. The best feature in my opinion is the jobs you might be interested in e-mails that I receive, these take into account your activity on LinkedIn and are tailored appropriately.
 |
| Tailored Job E-mails |
As a general theme when developing my online identity I used the same profile picture to try and
keep my online identity consistent.
The social networking aspect has definitely aided my career
prospects. When applying to Tesco, I liked their Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn
page so that I could get the latest up-to-date information. When at the
assessment centre I mentioned some of this information that had been publicised
and it showed my increased awareness of the brand. In the past I had not thought
of doing any of this, but by incorporating it into my everyday interaction with
social media, it becomes less of a chore than checking the website every other
day!
 |
| About.Me |
To conclude I have learnt a lot from completing UOSM:2008, and have enjoyed the experience. I will use the blogposts as part of my online identity in the future. The blog will now be incorporated under my existing blog under a separate tab. I've had peer feedback in courses before but I haven't been able to respond to comments, this has been the most informative part of the course for me.
