When checking my online presence with the Salt Social Profile Checker, the only things that come up about me have to do with my academic career, which show when searching my name as well as alongside McMaster University. The first result that pops up is my LinkedIn profile, including for some reason posts by my connections which I have liked and commented on. I guess I should dedicate more of my effort on the site to posting more of my accomplishments as well as complimenting others for theirs. The other thing that comes up is my work as a Research Assistant. The first is my work for the Centre for Human Rights and Restorative Justice, where my designs for their newsletter are shown, as well as my work on transcribing an interview conducted by members of the centre which got published. The other result of my work is my role as editor and team member of Participedia’s Just Participation podcast. So that at least is nice to see that my work is out there on the internet. The biggest thing that is missing is my social media presence, as I deliberately do not have my last name shown on any of my social media accounts. In that, I much prefer my privacy and keeping my work and social life separate, not that I have anything to hide really, other than really adorable pictures of my nephews and I. Still, I want to keep improving my digital footprint with these following actions:
- Post just as much, if not more, about my accomplishments on LinkedIn as I do in praising my colleagues for theirs.
- Continue my work as a Research Assistant and find even more work to get my name on projects, especially ones that have positive impacts
- Get my own work out there, such as my MRP or other works pertaining to my research in order to begin establishing myself in my field of history
“Heritage affirms faith in a certain picture of the past, which sustains a certain image of the present and tends to elicit a single emotional response—and that’s worth emphasizing because the important thing about critical history is that it shouldn’t have closure in that way. I think heritage often does.” – Yerxa, Donald A. “Why History Matters: An Interview with John Tosh” Historically Speaking, Volume 10, Number 5, November 2009, pp. 25-27
Prophet Elijah Icon, Beirut, 18th Century. Source: Icônes arabes: art chrétien du Levant, Photographer: Michel Bakni
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One response to “Week 1 Post”
This is a great reflection on your online presence! I agree that your social media should just be for you, so keeping your last name off those accounts will help preserve them for their intended use.
One of the biggest revelations I saw here was your comment on how you praise others on LinkedIn more than announce your own accomplishments. I know it’s not natural or comfortable to praise yourself, but you’re absolutely right in that this would really help raise your professional profile. I also think there are ways to do this that aren’t super braggy!