It astounds me how many of them do not have an online presence further than Facebook.
And I need your help in deciding what they should be focusing on.
My friend Nikki recently wrote a post about a presentation she gave to an Online Journalism class about how blogging can kick-start a career... and she hit the nail square on the head.
"To put it simply, students have the power to be their own marketing managers. Their personal blog can be the “brand” they want to put out to the potential job market. It can give them an edge on another student, even when applying for internships.
In my day … potential employers only had my type-written CV, some clippings of published work and an interview to go by. Today, employers can – and are – Googling you long before they’ve invited you into their offices to ask about where you see yourself in five years.
And in that Googling, what are employers going to find out about you? Will they be impressed by your “voice”, your passion for fashion photography, cooking, your love of a good rant or will the just find a random Tweet about your disdain for a telco company.
And if you’re long past student age or inclination, then this is worth thinking about too. You don’t really know who’s reading your blog, Tweets or Facebook updates. Opportunities – freelance writing gigs, sponsorships, book deals – present themselves every time you make an electronic communication."
And I absolutely couldn't agree more. It is becoming readily apparent that people are consuming their news online. Newspapers are moving toward more editorialising and commentary, because people already know the news - it's up to them to provide more background, opinion and discussion because they've been scooped by the internet.
Internet, internet, internet... it's where we spend a huge chunk of our time. And yet students are promoting themselves less and less in that arena. And to my mind, it should be the first place they go.
So in wanting to upgrade and update our classes, I'm throwing it over to you - those of my friends that know the value of an online presence and can rock a social media platform like nobody's business. What do you think these students should get a handle on? What has worked for you in the online publishing arena? Help me get them off Facebook!
I think they need one of these as their very first port of call:
A Google Reader. Absolutely, unequivocally necessary. Be across a variety of news websites in one place. Get your news from different countries, differen sources... and it might stop me slapping you when I ask you where you read the most news and your answer is "news.com.au". You want to be a journalist? You have to read much more widely than that, my friends. I know you don't pick up a newspaper. I know you can't answer more than two out of the 10 current affairs quiz questions I ask you. With this, you will.
Twitter. I am deadly serious. For those of us devotees, we know it is so much more than a place to tell everyone you've just picked your nose or eaten lunch. Every major news event (and some not so) that has happened in the last two years, I have heard about first on Twitter. Kevin Rudd being booted out? Twitter. Brisbane floods? Twitter. Egypt? Libya? Twitter. News as it happens, people. Every major network and organisation have Twitter accounts they update constantly. Get on it.
A blog. The fastest way to get yourself published. And I'm not kidding when I say employers are expecting you to be published several times before you finish your degree. There really is no excuse. And a blog is the fastest way to do it. So much an online portfolio, so much an easy-access example of your voice and writing style.
Stolen from my college buddy... thanks Brit! xx |
So peeps, what do you think? Do you agree with these basics, and do you have any more? What about things like LinkedIn... I've never used it, is that a good resource? Do you think it's worth sticking it out with Google Plus? How have Twitter and blogging helped you? What can I tell these future newsmakers about how the online world works?