The

Importance of Your Digital Identity: An Exploration of My Connection to Media By Allyson Nold

Executive Summary
This report addresses my many digital identities and how they will possibly impact my future endeveaours in the work place. I will go into depth on what profession I would like to hold in the future. Next I will explore current job advertisements and profiles that are pertinent to the profession I would like to go into. Then I will analyze my current digital standing and address how I could tailor it so it reflects more positively on me.

Table of Contents
THE FUTURE PROFESSIONAL ME JOB ADVERTISEMENTS PROFESSIONAL PROFILES CRITERIA REQUIRED OF A PROSPECTIVE WRITER/EDITOR THE CURRENT ME CONCLUSIONS: BRIDGING THE GAP APPENDIX A: DIGITAL IDENTITES SOURCES 4 4 6 6 7 8 10 11

The Future Professional Me

Once I graduate, I would like to pursue a career as a writer. Whether it is a

technical or professional writer, I would like to write in some capacity. There are many opportunities in the writing field from writing for a magazine or writing for a big company or even freelance writing. The positions vary from low-level to head writer and everything in between. The main requirements employers look for when they hire writers is if they have a college degree and if they have experience. It is very beneficial to apply for an internship somewhere to get some on the job experience that sets you apart from other candidates. I did just that with my technical writing internship this year. Employers are also looking to hire employees that are familiar with technology and social media. Whether it is computer skills or online abilities, being up-to-date with the latest technologies is a must in the writing world.

Job Advertisements
I looked at three possible jobs that are in my interested field and analyzed what was needed for each. 1. http://bit.ly/sxhJq1: The first job is for an editor at the National Geospatial- Intelligence Agency. The advertisement can be found at Creative Jobs Central at it requires a Bachelors degree in English or a related field and 3-5 years mid-level experience. Now, this is a government job that would pay very well and provide great benefits. I do not meet all of the requirements as of right now, however I feel if I got some experience in addition to my internship work, this would be a plausible career option in the next couple of

years. I also have a contact within in the company that could vouch for my work ethic and character. Some other criteria that is valued for this job is the ability to multi-task, work well with others, good oral communication and organization skills. 2. http://bit.ly/uPOPZs: Another job listing that I found interesting was and perhaps more applicable was an editorial assistant position at the company Wolters Kluwer. Their medical section is looking for an editorial assistant to help with copyediting, proofreading and researching. This job only requires a minimum of a high school diploma and one year experience. However, it is preferred to have a BA in English and some knowledge of medical terminology. Since I will be getting a BA in English with a minor in biology, I feel I am a pretty strong candidate for this job opportunity. Also since it is for an assistant position I would be more likely to be considered for the position at this point in time than the previous job mentioned. The website of the job advertisement is

3. http://bit.ly/u9H0wK: The third job advertisement I considered was a technical writer for Scholastic, Inc. It requires 1-2 years experience and a BA. I have already been a technical writing intern for a software company for almost 8 months so I feel I have enough experience to be qualified. I am also well versed in computer skills and can communicate my ideas well.

Professional Profiles
1. http://linkd.in/vQAYHB: This first job profile is for a freelance copyeditor and managing editor. It is a private profile but it does state that the person who held this position had previous experience in editing and proofreading and most likely a Masters degree since it states they went to two colleges. Now I am not currently at this position but this is a job that I could work towards in the future. 2. http://linkd.in/uejZRe: This next profile is for a content director specializing in social media. They have experience with freelance writing for different social mediums but no set education. This type of writing would be fun to explore. 3. http://linkd.in/vVE1My: This last profile is from someone who is currently a professional writer and editor. Their education is a BA in journalism and they have previous experience in editing and writing. This persons profile seems to be the best fit for me at my current academic standing and professional experience level.

Criteria Required of a Prospective Writer/Editor

2. Organized 3. Proficient in Editing & Proofreading 4. Good Research Skills

1. BA in English/Journalism or Communications

5. Good at Communicating and Conveying Ideas to Others

The Current Me
My digital identity is what employers will look at and judge me based on

what the Internet provides. Upon searching myself, I have realized the majority of the hits that come up are for swimming. Since I am a former 4-year member of the Old Dominion University swimming team, it is natural that my times and profile would come up in a search. I feel if an employer were to see any of the information provided on these swimming sites, they would see I am a dedicated individual who as stuck with a sport from club all the way to the collegiate level. This to me indicates I am a dedicated and hardworking individual whom they can count on. I have Facebook and Twitter accounts however you cannot access my Facebook without my permission. There is nothing incriminating on my account however I will probably take down some pictures after graduation. However, no one can see my pictures without my permission. My twitter is simply used to follow celebrities so there is nothing on that account that would prevent me from getting a job. A full list of my digital identities can be found in Appendix A. According to the criteria required of a potential writer/editor, in regards to:

BA in English- Most of my digital identities such as Facebook and my Athletic profile state my education status. Organized- If future employers were to look at my Popplet account or even my Wordpress account they would see I am very organized when it counts. Proficient in Editing & Proofreading- My Wordpress account demonstrates my ability to form logical and coherent sentences. Also my work from my technical writing internship that is posted on the companys website that I worked for, would

be an excellent example of my ability to edit and proofread since it is located on a professional site for a business. Good Research Skills- I dont believe I possess any accounts that show my research skills except perhaps my Wordpress account considering I analyze websites and other items. My Diigo account would probably be the best example since it is basically a catalog of my own personal sites. Good at Communicating and Conveying Ideas to Others- My social identites such as Twitter and Facebook would best represent this skill. Analyzing my conversations with other people and how they respond to my posts would be a good representation of communication.

Conclusions: Bridging the Gap

Overall, I feel my digital self has some strength but many weaknesses. First of

all, my most positive digital identity would have to be my internship work. This is a professional source where my work is displayed in a pleasing manner. It demonstrates my proficiency in writing and editing very well. I also believe that my Wordpress and Diigo sites show my strength in the research department which is a highly sought after skill in the writing profession. However some areas I could improve on is not having so many social sites

such as Facebook and Twitter. Perhaps I need to monitor the content more closely to make sure the content on these pages reflect what I want employers to know about me. I also do not have many digital identities that show my organizational ability so perhaps I could start my own website or add to my Wordpress blogs. My

main goal in the future is to make sure my digital identities are an accurate representation of who I am and what employers are looking for. To achieve that goal I believe I will need to include some more professional identities and monitor my more social accounts.

Appendix A: Digital Identites

Facebook: http://on.fb.me/rQliG0 Twitter: http://bit.ly/uXvX3x Youtube: http://bit.ly/tL9NPb Wordpress: http://bit.ly/u6l61S Popplet: http://bit.ly/rOZNBq Diigo: http://bit.ly/v5j4eX Scribd: http://scr.bi/uJdVgx LinkedIn: http://linkd.in/vVOl0I ipConfigure: http://bit.ly/smfUje ODU Athletics: http://bit.ly/s4dN6a Animoto: http://bit.ly/sfCDWc

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Sources

Cover page picture from Deviant Art: http://bit.ly/tOfDT3

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