Marketable Myself Through Social Media

Tomorrow I am attending the Brand Camp Personal Branding 2.0 Conference at Lawrence Technological University.

I first heard about the conference from Karen Evans, a professor at Lawrence Technological University. She asked me if I would be interested in attending. When Evans told me that the conference consisted on how to use social media in the job industry (business, job seeking, resume, etc) I was definitely interested in going.

There are four main reasons for why I am going to the conference (in no specific order):

1. To learn more ways to make myself more marketable
2. To hopefully find an internship
3. Networking
4. To learn which social websites are vital to the job industry today (so that I can start using them and gain knowledge)

By now, I am sure everyone has noticed that the economic times have had a big negative impact on the job industry. Thousands of people are losing their jobs and more people are competing for one position. The supply and demand of job positions are not balanced whatsoever.

The career I chose is Media Communication. Before the economic crisis, my career was a competitive field. So you can just imagine how difficult it has been to find an internship (I must add that a “paid” internship is rare). Therefore, I have been finding ways to make myself more marketable. To start with, I am bilingual (my native language is Spanish). Being bilingual has definitely helped me find jobs. However, now I need jobs or internships that will eventually lead to a full-time job in my field. Another way I made myself more marketable is by learning website design. I have officially made my first website (deltatausigma.ltu.edu).

But being bilingual and knowing website design is not enough. I have noticed that social media has increased in use tremendously throughout the years. I am almost tempted to put in my resume, under skills, “Facebook, Myspace, Twitter, and Blogging.” I am especially interested in advertisement (the creative department); and I feel that if a person does not know how to use the social mediums I mentioned, he or she will not be able to bring the company forward.

I am asking myself:

“What types of social media should I know?”

“How should I use social media?”

“Should I put the Facebook, Blogging, etc in my resume?”

“What can make me more marketable?”

These are the questions I hope to have answered tomorrow.

The Brand Camp website has listed reason for why a student and job seeker, such as myself, should go to the conference:

“At Brand Camp, we’ll discuss how students can avoid common social media mistakes and use the technology to project a brand that is irresistible to companies… social media has changed the way companies seek out and research new talent. At Brand Camp, individuals about to enter or re-enter the workforce will learn how to properly leverage the tools of the Social Web and discover new ways to stand out from the crowd.” (p.1)

I also recommend other students, especially Medica Communication students, to come to the Brand Camp personal branding 2.0 conference. Though if they do not come, I will have an advantage over them haha : ) .

The Brand Camp personal branding 2.0 conference will allow me to meet very important people. Networking is very important. I hope that by networking I will increase my knowledge of the use of social media as well as my chances at finding an internship.

Overall, I am really excited for tomorrow and will update you all on the outcome.

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Brand Camp Universtiy. Brand Camp 09 Personal Branding 2.0 Conference. Brand Camp University. Retrieved October 9, 2009, from: http://www.brandcampu.com/