whereintheworld

Department Chair

This new webpage is designed to provide you with links to internet platforms that are used to network with colleagues, employers, current and former classmates. I have listed links to platforms that are most common today (go there NOW) to use as well as best practices to use in setting yourself up. Read these carefully. If you are a current user of any of these platforms, you will want to make sure you abide by these best practices. Remember, all eyes are on you now.

Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, Web 2.0 and all of these new web platforms have revolutionized how we connect with each other. It is amazing that we can locate anyone from first grade classmates to create a personalized web space in the matter minutes. However, with all of this great innovation there comes a price. Many individuals who created these “private” web spaces believed that they were indeed private, but they were not. As well, companies are hiring firms just to review these so-called “private” sites to determine whether or not they should hire someone or better yet fire someone. So as a type-A, fun loving, never sleep, and go-go-go hospitality major gets ready to enter this industry—how do you compete with getting yourself marketed? How do you create a web space that will promote you in a professional manner? Allow you to update your profile in a matter of minutes without creating a web site or knowing html code (even creating a company site)? Connect with top leaders in the industry who have the web profiles? AND not screw it up!!!! Keep reading my child…

There are many, many different platforms and I have listed them on this page. All of them unique and all of them offer something different in the way of connecting with another individual via cyberspace. However, no matter what you do there are some basic best practices to follow.

Best Practices

· When you set up a profile of any kind keep text short, sweet and too the point.

· Link to your website, blogs, social networking profiles, professional organizations, etc– Make sure you are connecting to ones that follow best practices and will not cause red flags or problems for you. If so, just don’t do it

· Make your profile private-though it is not really private. At least you have made it that way.

· Use a professional picture and keep it there-This is the first impression

· Clean out your inbox-OFTEN (if there is a message inbox). Unlike your private email (which really is not private)- Hackers can really see this.

Go to http://www.facebook.com/safety/# - read the questions and fix the issues. On Facebook, under Profile (click Settings) - and fix issues (you might be surprised how vulnerable you are. You will also be able to link to other social sites here

DO NOT POST

· Do not link to controversial causes. I have to be really honest on this one. More people get themselves in trouble because they wish to “join a cause” that is just too hot and it burns them. Watch out.

· Photos—Naked photos or photos showing see-through clothing.

· Photos showing you doing illegal activities such as underage drinking parties, photos showing you doing drugs, photos of you holding a firearms, photos of you “out of control”, or photos with a drink in your hand.

· Offensive and derogatory remarks. If you have racist views towards certain cultures, it's best for you to keep that off your profile, or you can post it and let your co-workers see what you really think about them.

· If your friends have posted any kind of language that is off-color, derogatory, or offensive-delete it. This is not where you can do this anymore. Sorry. Writing words like “Hey be-achh”, though might be funny between friends is not professional and believe me does not get you anywhere on the maturity ladder.