Social Media - Making the Most of Your Online Professional Presence

Registration in this workshop is required, and is generally limited to currently-appointed UBC postdoctoral fellows. Interested registrants will be confirmed on a first-come first-served basis with minor preference given to more senior postdocs. Successfully registered postdocs will receive a confirmation email from the PDFO within one week prior to the workshop. All cancellations must be received no later than 24 hours in advance of the workshop.

Today, career advancement is about who you know, as well as who knows you.  Social media tools, like LinkedIn, help you strategically establish and improve your own “brand” to be known by professional colleagues and potential employers. This practical, hands-on workshop for Postdoctoral Fellows will focus on what “social media” includes, how some of the most popular tools function, what value these tools may have on your career success, and tips for establishing and effectively managing a social media presence.

Participants will:

• Be introduced to a few of the most popular social media tools (e.g., LinkedIn, Twitter)
• Learn strategies for  establishing a professional profile, exploring groups, understanding recommendations and endorsements, and managing social media activities
• Understand how social media can support academics and professionals in industry
• Explore how to increase profile visibility and online credibility
• Explore social media management tools including Hoot Suite and Brand Yourself
• Learn the dangers or pitfalls when using Facebook or Twitter  (This would cover for eg. privacy concerns and how to share things with a limited audience; especially when friends are mixed up with colleagues, professional contacts or potential employers).
• Discuss the difference between 'online credibility' and 'online visibility'.

Facilitator

Dr. Deirdre Pickerell

Dr. Deirdre Pickerell, CHRP, GCDF-i, brings 20+ years’ experience in career/employment services and human resource management. She leads Team Canada for the 2015 International Symposium on Career Development and Public Policy. In 2014, Deirdre was honoured to receive the Stu Conger Award for Leadership in Career Development / Career Counselling; previously she received the BC HRMA Award of Excellence (2006). She completed her PhD in Human and Organizational Systems, and is a sessional instructor with Yorkville University. She is an active user of Twitter and LinkedIn, and uses various tools to help manage her online presence.