Making Your Digital Footprint Work For You

I've  heard about a cool new service called VisualCV from a few different sources recently, so I thought I'd share what I learned here.  VisualCV helps job seekers put forward a consistent professional image online that can be linked to wherever they have a digital footprint - LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, etc.  And it's more than just for job seeking, as people currently use VisualCV for personal branding, business development, and networking.

VisualCV enables professionals to have complete control over their online representation and networking.At the most basic level, the professional can track his/her own, private one-degree community. Or, it allows them to take their personal brand to the Internet so that they can be found in a way they want to be represented professionally. You can embed images, charts, audio and video clips of your work, letters of recommendation, awards, qualifications and skills, and there are no content or quantity restrictions on portfolio items.

Of course, there are the ever-present privacy concerns.According to the VisualCV folks, you retain complete control over who sees your CV.  You can share different versions of your VisualCV with specific contacts, opt to have your VisualCV viewable within the VisualCV.com community, or make your VisualCV available on the Internet by opting for public display of your unique URL. And this is neat – you can register interest with a company or individual, and identify search settings and categories for which you’re interested in being “found.”

Supposedly, top companies like Amazon and Citrix are already on board with accepting VisualCVs, and hey, if Guy Kawasaki is using it, it must be good.   

Comments

[Kelly Giles]

Hi Alex,

We must be on the same wavelength. I recently posted about VisualCV on my blog (http://tinyurl.com/chgy4o), but I examined how it might be useful for soon-to-be grads.

It seems like a really great tool - the perfect way to combine your resume and online portfolio. I have an account but haven't fully developed it yet - looking forward to exploring all the options.

Thanks for all the great resources you provide,

Kelly Giles
http://tarheelsintransit.wordpress.com
http://linkedin.com/in/kagiles
http://twitter.com/kellygiles

[Alexandra Levit]

@Kelly - thanks, I'm looking forward to checking out your blog!

[Ken Hunter]

Saw it featured earlier the same day you posted as an ad on another blog. Signed up this evening and like it a great deal. The best feature is the LinkedIn import.

The customization and privacy support will be of great interest to some I know who are now starting to voice concern on the nature of their online presence. None of them have anything inappropriate on the web. Instead, they are concerned about not drawing attention to themselves from the wrong people. A profession portal such as this provides the image control they desire and deserve.

[Alexandra Levit]

@Ken: I've heard from a few folks recently that this is a competitive space. Do you find VisualCV to be the best of the bunch?

[Suhail]

I manage creaer services at a college, working with adult working students. I've found that teaching them about elevator pitches, especially as they have been described by other experts, has always been a little uncomfortable for me, because it does seem cheesy or phony. I agree with Chris in that people should strive to be be authentic and natural, and should custimize the pitch for each situation. I don't think it should be the lead-off to a conversation, but rather a cogent reply to a question such as what do you do ? If nothing else, at least preparing an elevator pitch helps people develop a focused way to describe their value and their most relevant attributes for the situation at hand, rather than being rambling or off-base. And of course, being able to follow up with good questions to see if determine how one can be of service is always a good strategy!

[Habeebull]

Shameless plug here also don't forget about your ceearr services office. Career Services on campus interviews, job boards, ceearr fairs and info sessions through your college shouldn't be the entire focus BUT you should integrate them into your job search. Your college ceearr services staff by the nature of their jobs work and network with a lot of employers. Get to know them!Not only that Career Services will help you with your resume development, a job/internship search strategy, and help with your interviewing.OSU Students HireOSUgrads.com is more than a t-shirt! Admission to position! Contact me if you have questions

[Gina]

Also, check your resume on miutlple computers. Sometimes layout on an older version will look different on a newer version (recent catch ). Great advice as always. If your students are wise, they will take at least some of it while applying for jobs, especially in this market.