NSBE - Winter 2013 - (Page 8)

NSBE http://pinterest.com/nsbe/ HOW TO FOLLOW HERE’S WHERE AND From the PublicationsChair Clean Up Your Digital Brand By Khalia Braswell Acting NSBE National Publications Chair ave you ever searched for yourself online? If not, try it. Make sure you are logged out of all Google or other search engine accounts, clear your Internet browser’s history and cookies then search your name to see what comes up. Are you surprised by anything? Do you see things you would want your parents or future employer to see? If so, you’re in good shape. If not, you have some work to do to clean up your digital brand. Online searches are becoming just as important as your credit report when it comes to your personal brand. When you apply for a credit card or an apartment, the company is required to do a standard credit check. Likewise, when you apply for jobs, employers are looking at your digital brand to help determine whether you are a good fit for their organization. Don’t believe me? According to research done by Harris Interactive Inc., 37 percent of employers are using social media to research job candidates. Facebook and LinkedIn are the top two social media networks used by employers. How can you clean up your digital brand? Start now. Be conscious of the type of things you post on social media networks, and who might see them. No matter whether your profile is public or private, posts can be found, so keep it clean. “Keeping it clean” means not using provocative photos or language, not demonstrating bad communication skills and not defaming your own character. If you want to tidy up your social media profiles, start with your photos and work your way through status updates. What you post can say a lot about you, and you always want to put your best foot forward. Posting tweets such as, “I waste so much time” can come off very wrong to potential employers if they are browsing your timeline. Social networks are growing every day. A 2011 report from The Nielsen Company stated that social networks and blogs now account for nearly a quarter of the time that Americans spend on the Internet. With the ’Net’s rapid growth, protecting your digital brand is becoming a critical part of building your reputation. With a few keystrokes, anyone can find out where you live, where you are from and view anything you have on your Twitter, Facebook or LinkedIn profile. I don’t mean to take the fun out of expressing yourself on social media, but when you’re posting your next photo or status update, ask yourself, “How would I explain this to my boss?” ■ www.nsbe.org H https://www.facebook.com/NSBE1975 Be conscious of the type of things you post on social media networks, and who might see them. https://twitter.com/NSBE http://www.youtube.com/nsbetv 8 • nsbe magazine • winter 2013 http://www.pinterest.com/nsbe/ http://www.pinterest.com/nsbe/ https://www.facebook.com/NSBE1975 https://www.facebook.com/NSBE1975 https://www.twitter.com/NSBE https://www.twitter.com/NSBE http://www.youtube.com/nsbetv http://www.youtube.com/nsbetv http://www.nsbe.org

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of NSBE - Winter 2013

NSBE - Winter 2013
Contents
Graduation! Pump Up the Party
Clean Up Your Digital Brand
Reelected
ITW’s Dr. Alexander Anim- Mensah
Steven Henderson of Life Technologies
Patricia Edmonds of NAVAIR
Franklin E. Leaven Jr. of GE Transportation
General Mills: Winning through Diversity
Eye of the Tiger
39TH ANNUAL CONVENTION PREVIEW
Golden Torch Honorees
The Professional’s Perspective
Trailblazers
Professional Development Conference Recap
CE Cover CODE2040: Grooming Business Leaders in Silicon Valley
Uhuru: Freedom
‘To Increase the Number…’
NSBE Calendar
NCEES Employer Profile
Advertisers Index

NSBE - Winter 2013