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Fashion and Fun after Fifty

Posts Tagged ‘personal branding’

Have you had the “don’t digitally do” talk with your young adult yet?

laptop with your're hired This post was inspired and sponsored by Domain.ME, the provider of the personal URLs that end in .ME. As a company, they aim to promote thought leadership to the tech world. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Don’t Do Anything That I Wouldn’t Do!”

Did your parents ever say that to you when you were growing up just before heading out the door? My grandmother may have said it to me once or twice, but I’ve never had to say it to my sons, however, I did text them, “don’t post anything online that you wouldn’t want me to see!” 

It’s a different world with a social media dominance of texting, liking, pinning and posting being an everyday occurrence. But what happens if a young adult posts something today that is deemed inappropriate later only to have it come back to haunt them when they are looking for a job?

As a parent of 2 sons in college, I feel that it’s my duty to help them navigate the digital world just as I did when they were toddlers navigating the real world. I have talked to them about the importance of keeping a good online image because potential employers will definitely be checking their digital footprints.

laptop and college kids

Malik worked a few weeks at Amazon during his summer break which gave him a little taste of what it’s like to have a job as well as the satisfaction of bringing home a paycheck. However, as a Business major at Bowie State University he also understands the importance of having more than just a resume when it comes time to seek a career after graduation.  Having a personal website now will give him control of his online image into the future.

studying in a dorm room

Domain.ME is a domain name provider. You can register a .ME domain from any number of registrars, which will help you create a unique identity online with a URL ending in .ME. 

A survey conducted in the US between June 11th and July 9th by Domain.ME of over 300 HR professionals clearly showed that the likelihood of job offers is greater if the college graduate had a website.

These findings were interesting to say the least because we all know that most employers Google potential candidates, especially recent college grads just entering the workforce.

Domain.ME published an ebook which contains all the data from the study, which you can read here, but these 3 facts really caught my attention.

  • 67% of HR professionals survey claimed that a personal website provides more insight than a resume alone.

  • Over the next five years, the recruitment process is going to be more reliant on online content and information than ever.

  • 60% think that a personal website make a positive, professional impression.

laptop and smartphonesp and your digital footprint

Now, I don’t expect Malik to run out and start his own blog like me, but as his mother who is a blogger I will emphasis the importance of personal branding and how it can affect his future job searches. I want to educate him on ways in which he can stand out from the rest of the crowd. It would be wonderful if upon graduation a recruiter offered him a job right on the spot, but that may not happen even if he’s wearing a #HireMe tee!

hire me tshirt

As parents we want our children to become successful adults as they transition into the professional world, and with options like .ME domains, creating a memorable domain name to go with your website will help to make that transition easier.  

You can download the FREE ebook to learn more about the study by clicking here.  

Have you had the “don’t digitally do” talk with your young adult yet?

free ebook for job seekers