Maintaining a Professional Online Presence
While e-mail and social networking sites are often used for connecting with friends, these are also ways of connecting with other people like professors and employers. While it is acceptable to be informal with friends and family, this is not always the case for professional relationships.
Professional Emails
When sending e-mails to your professors, colleagues, employers, and/or peers, one should follow some simple guidelines:
- Write a relevant subject line for your e-mail (i.e.: "Quick Question"; "Can We Meet?"; "Possible Paper Topics"; etc.)
- Address the recipient correctly with their chosen name (i.e.: "Professor Smith"; "Dr. Smith"; "Mr. or Mrs. Smith"; etc.)
- Write complete sentences with correct grammar and spelling
- Keep your writing formal. Do not use slang.
- Explain your reason for the e-mail, but keep it brief (i.e.: "I was wondering if we could meet on Friday"; "I have a quick question from our discussion in class"; etc.)
- Wait for a response. If the message is urgent, you should talk to the recipient face-to-face about it.
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Branding Yourself
LinkedIn is a great website to start the networking process. It is a place to showcase your resume, skills, achievements, and to start networking. Here are some tips to keep your profile professional and appealing.
- Keep your resume updated. You want the information to be current and correct.
- Be sure to only display skills that are relevant to work experience. The fact that you can mix a great mash-up is cool, but won't land you a job in a Fortune 500 company. However, if you're looking to enter the field of music, this is exactly the type of skill to add.
- Don't be afraid to talk yourself up. Now is the time to tell potential employers what you're capable of. Don't lie, but don't be afraid to boast.