With the winter semester winding down, and students
looking for both summer and post-university jobs, After U brought U of A grad
and local social media maven Mack Male to campus to share his secrets for
creating the kind of strong digital identity that can help you land a dream
job. As one of the first thousand people on Twitter and as the mind behind the
popular Edmonton area website, mastermaq.ca, Male’s experience sets an excellent
example of someone who used the world of social media to launch his
post-university career.
Social Media provides "an important way to stand
out,” he says.
With that being said, here are a few tips to help
students develop their own online personal brand:
1. Look Around
Male says that for anyone starting to build an
online presence, looking to see what other people are doing, identifying
different methods and emulating the style(s) that you like is a good way to get
started. Since Twitter is so open and widely used, checking out the #yeg
hashtag to find people tweeting in Edmonton and using the “Who to Follow” suggestions
are useful ways to get the ball rolling.
2. Be Purposeful
You don’t have to be a local celebrity to create an
effective online appearance, Male explains. What differentiates these effective
users from your run-of-the-mill social media fanatic is that their posts aren't random — they’re deliberate.
“I don’t randomly post things or randomly like
things. Almost everything I do is purposeful. I wouldn't start posting about
some other city in the U.S., even though that would be cool,” Male says,
explaining that he stays true to his Edmonton-centric brand.
3. Make an Impression
Using chatspeak on Twitter, hashtags on Facebook and
excessive selfies on Instagram are all faux pas that most of us have all likely
made. However, Male says that people form an opinion about a website in
one-twentieth of a second, so make sure your actions and social media space are
reflective of your intellect.
4. Stay Active
“A week
without posting is like a lifetime on Twitter,” Male says, adding that one of
the biggest mistakes that people make is starting something like a social media
account or blog then “letting it die.”
He says that most blogs die out after three months
because people haven’t planned them effectively, so he suggests making a list
of ten or twelve things you want to write about. Keeping a notebook on hand to
jot down blog is a good idea too, just in case other ideas arise at random.
And don’t get discouraged if you don’t get a lot of traffic
— Male says that when his blog first started, the only people who commented
were his high school friends and his mom. Continuing to write and develop your
voice are easy ways to keep your momentum going.
5. Get Out There
Male explains that bridging the gap between your online
presence and “real-life” is more important than one might think. Joining
student groups and attending community events are great ways to build your
social network and to get your name out there. Attaching your name to a larger
organization not only makes you more recognizable, but it can also help to broaden
your horizons as you can become exposed to new interests.
While part of “getting out there” includes meeting
new people, Male adds that a large mistake that some people make is being
afraid to ask for help. Whether you want advice on how to build a presence, or
feedback on a blog post, he says that most people are more than happy to grab a
coffee and to help a “newbie” get started.
Male says that one of his favourite parts about
living in Edmonton is the open community here —with a click of a mouse it’s
easy to come into contact with your local community leaders or career heroes.
So, if you are looking to launch your own digital
identity, be sure to keep these tips in mind. And if you’re looking to learn
more about how to prepare for your post-graduate life, take a look to see what
else After U or CAPS: Your U of A Career Centre, might have to offer.
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