• What digital platforms are students currently using to develop their professional network?

In our growing world of technology, students are currently using several different platforms to develop their professional network. The first one that comes to mind is LinkedIn – a platform where one can grow their professional network and gain more opportunities (About LinkedIn, n.d). Although LinkedIn is a notable platform for those wishing to expand their network, it is not the only site people can use to build their business. Instagram is mostly known as being a personal platform, however, many people have built a career as an ‘influencer’ – someone who shares lifestyle tips and daily-use products. For influencers, Instagram is a perfect platform to collaborate with various companies and grow their business by getting sponsors, or knowledge from other influencers.

  • What can you (as a student) consider, to expand your professional learning network?

As a current student, I could utilise both the internet and local businesses to broaden my professional learning network. I could join chat groups with other students who share similar interests, join webinar meetings at different universities offering master’s programs I might be interested in, or I could reach out to local businesses that are in the field of study I am hoping to pursue a career in. Each of these examples would provide me with information, mentors, resources, and potentially opportunities, which would all benefit my career choices.

  • In your network, how can you create a digital identity/reputation?

Within a network, I would assume one would have different identities or reputations depending on who you are connecting with. As mentioned in previous readings, your PLN can include a variety of people including close friends you trust, people in the same field of work, people you go to school with, and so on. My digital identity with friends, or other students in a chat room would be much different than with a professional I connected with to ask for information. For example, my interaction with friends or other students would be much more casual than with a professional, and therefore, my identity would be portrayed differently.

  • Consider what a local employer would do if you applied for a job with them – can they search the content, is it of benefit to the career path, does it hinder the opportunity of employment?

Whether or not an employer can see your content is completely related to the type of job you are applying for. As I mentioned above, influencers utilise their personal social media for professional benefit. It is vital for these types of professions to make their content easily accessible so that potential sponsors, or employers, can see your content, and how many likes or followers you have, as its important for them to see and consider these factors if they are selling a product they want to be promoted. If you are applying to a more professional job, it might hinder your chances of being employed if your personal accounts are easily viewable, as your personal content may not align with the company’s values. The idea of having an easily accessible platform will not only depend on the type of job you are applying for, but also the specific platform. In the latter example of a more professional job, having an easily accessible LinkedIn account would be beneficial, whereas an easily viewable Instagram may not.

When I created my VR Map, I found it difficult to even think of all the platforms I use almost daily, and I’m confident I’ve still missed many! This made me realize that my digital footprint is probably much larger than I originally thought. The ones that came to mind most easily were my social media platforms, which were all listed in the personal and residential square. My Gmail is a personal tool, but I mostly use it institutionally to connect with professors, employers, and others of that sort. I placed YouTube slightly into the bottom half because, as much as I use YouTube for personal videos and music, I also use videos like Khan Academy to help me understand concepts or theories I need for school or work. Looking at my graph, I noticed my evident lack of institutional platforms. As I get closer to graduation, I need to work on expanding my PLN, which will include creating more platforms on the institutional side.

 

 

References

About LinkedIn. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://about.linkedin.com/?trk=homepage-basic_directory_aboutUrl

OCLC. (n.d.). Visitors and Residents. Retrieved from http://experimental.worldcat.org/vandrmapping/signIn