• It is important to establish a positive online presence. Online presence is what the
public can learn about you from viewing your Internet activities. Potential employers
will enter your name in a search engine to see what your online presence reveals
about you. This search will show if your online presence is positive, negative,
nonexistent, or shared with someone else with the same name.
• Create a professional e-mail account to use for the job-search process. Keep your
personal and professional activities separate. When creating an e-mail account,
use your first and last name so that your name appears in the e-mail address. This
helps recruiters recognize you when sorting through applicants. It is important to
complete the career profile to project your professionalism.
• LinkedIn is a professional networking site that provides static communication with
professionals. LinkedIn offers users space for posting and finding jobs that might
not be advertised publicly.
• Twitter is a free, open site of professionals and nonprofessionals who communicate
in real time. Twitter is a microblog site; microblogs are short communications
limited number to a certain number of characters per post.
• A professional portfolio will showcase your qualifications, skills, and talents to
potential employers. Collect and save documentation that demonstrates your
accomplishments. Portfolios can be in hard copy or electronic format.
• The way you approach your career search reveals who you are as a potential
employee. Staying positive is crucial to your success. Tell yourself that you are the
right person for the job and that you will achieve your goals. Practice positive self-
talk frequently to encourage yourself.
19
Chapter 1 Online Presence
Review the career-related terms that follow. Then visit the G-W mobile
site to practice vocabulary using e-flash cards until you are able to recognize
their meanings. If you do not have a smartphone, visit the G-W Learning
companion website to access this feature.
online presence
secure password
career account profile
networking
freemium
search engine optimization
(SEO)
connection
microblog
follower
hashtag
portfolio
electronic portfolio
self-talk