Week 12: Creating a Professional Web Presence

This week we talked about the importance of having a professional web presence, some online place where future employers can go to learn more about you and see some of your work. As college students getting ready to look for jobs, it's important for us to show that not only can we do a job, but we also know how to use technology and the Internet for educational purposes.

For our Web Presence assignments we are using Google Sites. Google Sites, like most of the other online tools we looked at this semester, is incredibly easy to use. Through using Google Sites we're able to create an online site with our resume, portfolio, and personal information. As we discussed in class, a web presence is an important development for students to have. It shows you are using the Internet in positive ways--for more than just Facebook.

I was really excited about this assignment. As a journalism student, I'm always building up my portfolio with stories. Journalism is an applied field--it's a skill that's not taught through book work. To get a job as a journalists, employers want to see clips and photos. Sending in tons of copies of stories can get expensive. Being able to give a future employer a site for them to see a variety of stories you've written is such a plus. When I started by internship at The North Florida Herald last summer, one of the very first things the editor told us was that we have to have some online place to put our work. That was the first thing he told us! It's so important for student journalists to have somewhere to showcase their skills because in this day and age, you won't find a job without it.

The work, though, doesn't stop with simply creating a web presence. You have to constantly be developing your site to improve and reflect what you are doing at that point in your life. This blog offers "101 Ways to Create a Powerful Web Presence."  The blog really emphasizes somethings (like blogging every single day). The list offers great ways to continue to develop your web presence and impress future employers.