Bite your tongue...and tweets.

So social media is taking over. Period. The newest generation of professionals is technologically-savvy and ready to step outside the conventional box that the older workforce once worked with. But with these tech skills comes a comfort with the Internet that creates an issue: the ease with which we put ourselves out there and the consequences that accompany it.

From the moment my family got its first computer and logged on to AOL for the first time, I have had a presence on the Web. I had my AOL profile decked out with my favorite colors and quotes; my own web page had sparkling images floating around the screen; LiveJournal provided me with a space to divulge my most intimate thoughts; and now Facebook allows me to update my status to whatever I please. It is safe to say that I am quite comfortable with the idea of putting myself out there for the world to see, technologically speaking, and it has allowed me to pick up the new social media tools and mold my web presence easily. And while my parents' generation have had a more difficult time getting used to it, my age group has been privileged with the luxury of growing up with the Internet. But with great privilege comes great responsibility, something that is often learned the hard way.

Recent lawsuits regarding tweets and blog updates have become the newest fear for social media users. Because social media is so new, it is hard to decide what an acceptable update is. And although we are used to communicating easily through the Web, we must remember that the real world is very ready to slap our wrists if political correctness and appropriate attitudes are not kept. I think that being comfortable with social media is a great advantage that my generation has, but ensuring professionalism is something that we may definitely need to work on.

This isn't your mama's Myspace page, honey. Welcome to the big kid's playing field.

F is for Facebook...and friends.

Each meeting of PRSSA brings with it the idea that we must become social media-savvy. Blogs, Twitter, LinkedIn, PROpenMic...it is imperative that we become professionals in these areas. For me, all of these outlets were and continue to be new to me. But there is one social medium that I have learned like the back of my hand. It is one that most high school and college students depend upon to get them through the long hours they may spend at their laptops writing papers, conducting research and doing homework; a procrastination tool, if you will. The medium that I am referring to is the infamous Facebook.

When I first made my Facebook as a Junior in high school, it was to mainly keep tabs on my classmates and post pictures of that weekend's latest movie night with my friends. When I came to college, it became my main source of meeting new people at Ohio University. Now, I use it to keep in touch with old friends and new ones while updating my status with quirky song lyrics or funny sayings that I've heard around campus. Although all of these uses can be considered networking, it is not the kind of networking the professional world is looking for.

I keep my Facebook completely personal. And while I do monitor what is posted by myself and others, as a college Junior I do not believe that it should be a place to look for a job or internship. While reading an article on ajc.com entitled "Companies want applicants with social-media skills" by Alyse Knorr, these notions were confirmed. Bob Van Rossum, president of MarketPro, a marketing recruitment company offers that Facebook (as well as Twitter) is a place to mold your personal brand and not about business, adding that how others perceive you is how they perceive the company you work for. Other social media such as LinkedIn should be used to connect with future employers.

While Van Rossum notes that it is a challenge to find a happy medium between a personally- and professionally-branded Facebook page, I gather that he views Facebook in much of the same way I do: a personal outlet. Though it is indeed imperative to ensure that anything associated with your name is appropriate, adding a few fun flairs surely cannot be a detriment to a job search. Therefore, I will continue to use my Facebook for the f word: friends.

The full article cited in this post can be reached at: http://www.ajc.com/business/companies-want-applicants-with-104600.html

A change would do you good.

Recently I've become intrigued by the idea of change. As I realize this is a trite subject, I must explain that my notions of the word have a deeper meaning: affecting the methods by which individuals lead their lives. I mentioned the Appalachian Staple Foods Collaborative in my last post and their provisions for creating a more successful agricultural sector of the community. This is more of a material change as it is accomodating the need for tools and knowledge, but what has truly stolen my interest is the idea of personal change. An organization that has struck a chord with me is the Athens Photographic Project, an organization that teaches those recovering from mental illness to express themselves through photography.

For those suffering from mental illness, it is difficult to feel like they are a part of the outside world. Nate Thomson, project director of APP, discussed this topic with my fellow intern and me at a recent interview at Appalachian Behavioral Healthcare located near O'Bleness Hospital. He offered that those afflicted are sometimes unable to experience what life has to offer because they brand themselves with the illness instead of with their personal characteristics. His organization's projects provide an outlet for these individuals, and in turn allows them to develop on a more personal level than any amount of medication could. One of the participants, Beth Klaus, mentioned that she appreciates the control photography gives her of the world around her, and this is just an example of the tools APP gives to its constituents to overcome the obstacles associated with their illnesses.

After learning more about APP's efforts through my time spent with Thomson and Klaus and considering my own life experiences, it is important to remember how difficult it is to initiate a change, let alone one that affects state of mind. Projects such as this one alleviate this stressor by providing the means to not only embark upon this journey but to maintain the advancements made along the way. I stand by my call for more assistance like this. It is our job as upcoming leaders to contribute to this effort and, in turn, to begin a revolution of in the philanthropic world in which people help people to better their own lives.




*In my last post, readers may have come under the impression that I do not appreciate food donations and the like. I would like to express that I truly believe we have a need for services such as this and did not intend to undermine this effort in the slightest.