The document discusses optimizing one's digital footprint. It begins with an introduction of the presenter and overview of topics to be covered, including defining a digital footprint, its importance, and ways to optimize it. The presentation notes that what people share online can affect their professional brand and reputation, as employers increasingly research candidates online. It emphasizes managing privacy settings, online presence and content, and monitoring one's digital footprint to ensure a professional image.

1. Optimizing Your Digital Footprint
Presented by Maisha Cannon
March 27, 2015

2. Overview of Today’s
Session
• About Me
• Los Angeles native
• HR + Recruiting for 20 years
• Goals for Today’s Session
• Define digital footprint
• Understand its importance
• Share ideas for optimizing your digital
footprint
• Introduce tools you can use to monitor
your online activity
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Optimizing Your Digital Footprint

3. True or False?
What you share on your
personal social media
accounts does not have any
effect on your professional
brand.
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Digital Footprint: True or False

4. True or False?
4
Digital Footprint: True or False
What you share on your
personal social media
accounts cannot be used
against you by any current
or future employers.

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From the Headlines: 2015

6. From the Headlines: 2014

7. 7
From the Headlines: 2013

8. 8
From the Headlines: 2011

9. 9
From the Headlines: 2009

10. 10
From the Headlines: 2009

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What is a digital footprint?
Wikipedia: the data that is left behind by users on digital services
My definition: Trail of your online activity

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What is ‘online activity’?
What websites do
you use daily?
Weekly? Often? On
occasion?

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What is online activity?

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Why is your digital footprint important?
 It is your online reputation
 It is the first chance to make a positive first impression
before a meeting
 A well-thought out approach will work for you
 A poorly planned approach will work against you

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Importance of your digital footprint: During a job search
• The lack of a social media presence can be just as
alarming to prospective employers
• 90% of recruiters conduct online research on potential
candidates
• 70% of employers who have used LinkedIn say they’ve chosen
not to hire a person based on what they’ve found about them
online
• 27% of employers give job seekers the opportunity to discuss
the online content associated with their name

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Importance of your digital footprint
A strong digital footprint is not just important
during a career transition:
Enhance your image/brand
• Make a strong impression on future business contacts
• Establish rapport with new clients
• Peer recommendations (LinkedIn) add credibility
• Demonstrate your strengths/subject matter expertise

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Your digital footprint is important
A weak digital footprint can:
Detract from your professional image
• Unprofessional photos, comments, posts can
negatively affect your brand
• Cause you to miss opportunities
 Be aware not only of what you post, but of posts
that include you, i.e. tagged photo on Facebook

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Ideas for improving your digital footprint
 Control your privacy settings
 Perform ‘spring cleaning’ on your connections list
 Deactivate/delete old or abandoned accounts
 Establish parameters for your social media accounts
 Be strategic

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Ideas for improving your digital footprint
 Use alternate naming conventions
 Linda B. Harris – all professional sites
 OneLovelyLady or SoCalCutie - all personal sites
NOTE: Do not use your real name in conjunction with
certain personal accounts if you don’t want to be found
 Create your own content
 Quora
 Pinterest
 Examiner
 Blogs
 LinkedIn
 Profile & Posts

20.  Use an about.me as a landing page to direct traffic
Ideas for improving your digital footprint

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Simple Ways to Monitor Your Online Activity
 Be proactive: Google/Bing your name
 Set up a Google Alert or Mention account
 Delete any activity that you feel is not complementary
to the image you want to portray online
 If you have a common name, consider distinguishing
yourself with a middle initial or other identifier
 Sue Brown  Susan K. Brown, M.A.
 Sue Brown  S.K. Brown, Esq.

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Example: Sample Search

23. Wrap Up
Control your digital narrative
“Social media is changing the way we communicate and the
way we are perceived, both positively and negatively.
Every time you post a photo, or update your status,
you are contributing to your own digital footprint
and personal brand.”
~Amy Jo Martin
What happens on the Internet, stays on the Internet!

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Networking
askmaisha@gmail.com
http://www.linkedin.com/in/mcannon
http://www.twitter.com/talentgenie
http://www.pinterest.com/strategicrec