Blog On/ Blog Off: To What Degree Can My Blog Be Used Against Me?

So I am beginning to learn that this is an ongoing pattern. First it was Myspace, then Facebook, etc., and now my blog can be looked at and be used against me. Where is all the privacy? I am now learning that the Blog I am using for my class can be used against me in the future by employers, while I am only expressing my thoughts and opinions freely. I understand that I may say things others won't agree with but this is my blog and I should be allowed to speak my mind.

Employers can now even further invade your private life. After reading Joshua Porters post on "The Blog is the New Resume," many things came to mind. A blog can benefit an individual if the potential employer likes what the blogger is talking about; however if your the guy who brings up many controversial issues and say things other wont agree with, your less likely to be hired. Below are the main points he brought up from the original post by Bokardoan Adam Darowski.

1. Your blog represents you.

2. Your blog is serious business.

3. You blog is an archive.

4. Your blog isn’t the only mirror of your life.

5. Your blog is your unedited version of yourself.

He basically highlights the main points that a person should start a blog, but at their own risk. When ever you write something, you are giving your right away for others to read it and even though I don't agree with this, thats the way it is. We all just need to watch what we write and post on social networking sites and the internet in general because with the current technology available to employers, they can basically find anything. Be safe and be careful! Apparently your blog can be used as your resume'. Thats great if you are an active blogger and are blogging for a cause. As for me, I am doing this for a class and for fun. My blog is not intended for professional use, but for private use.


Below is a video with instructions on how to adjust your blogger privacy settings. It features Eric Case and he gives you a video tutorial on how to do so. This video is short and easy to follow. Enjoy!

The Future of Social Media?

Before actually reading about it, I have never heard of citizen journalism or anything about it. When you even think about it, what does "citizen journalism" even mean? It is basically an ordinary person tells you what happened through his/her own perspective. Below is a very interesting video, though kind of long, that explained everything i need to know about citizen journalism.

Although the video is very interesting, i do not agree with the idea, nor do i agree with the idea presented by this video called EPIC 2014. The concept of the EPIC 2014 video provided an insight on the evolution of our world in media and the internet. It was very scary but true. Nowadays, the majority of people are relying on the media, a.k.a. other people, for information that they consider accurate and truthful. There is no problem with this because these are the people who are actually going out there and doing the work to find the information required, analyze it and report it to the people. This is done everyday, 24/7. People watch the news or browse the various sites available to catch up on the most recent news.

However, when it comes to news being reported through an altered perspective such as in a blog or social news site, the quality of the information changes. The validity of the story comes to questions because how can you trust an ordinary person telling you the latest about a recent event through his view in a blog or social networking site. I understand that journalism is a profession and that there are experts out there, but doing something like this on a more social level poses consequences for the future of media and I do not believe that it will work.

Virtual Teams = So Many Benefits!!!!

"Virtual teams are the workhorses—and the unexpected blessings—of today’s organizations. Whether crossing organizational, geographic, time-zone, cultural, language, or discipline boundaries, far-flung teams are the beautiful inventions that simplify work for smart enterprises." - Jessica Lipnack and Jeff Stamps

Virtual Teams are yet another addition to our ongoing technological advancement. They provide endless benefits for worldwide corporations and their workforce. Remember when you had to travel countless hours to different cities, states, or even countries? We’ll there is no need to continue spending so much corporate funds to buy plane, train and bus tickets. Studies have found that virtual teams work for some companies and don’t for others. But, that’s the way technology works.

Virtual Teams eliminate the stress of traveling and at the same time save money and prove to be as effective as meeting in-person. They make it easier for members to communicate without even having to be in the same place. Employees don’t even have to leave their workspace and that way they can get so much more done. The prospect of all businesses are Virtual Teams and they will be successful if companies take the necessary steps forward to make them work. There are many arguments against the used of Virtual Teams because they eliminate the face to face interaction, but they prove to be effective in the workforce.

Below is a list of 10 rules provided by Lynda Gratton, a professor of management at London Business School. These rules are very valuable and help virtual teams work. They are as follows:

1. Invest in an online resource where members can learn quickly about one another.
2. Choose a few team members who already know each other.
3. Identify "boundary spanners" and ensure that they make up at least 15% of the team.
4. Cultivate boundary spanners as a regular part of companywide practices and processes.
5. Break the team's work up into modules so that progress in one location is not overly dependent on progress in another.
6. Create an online site where a team can collaborate, exchange ideas and inspire one another.
7. Encourage frequent communication. But don't try to force social gatherings.
8. Assign only tasks that are challenging and interesting.
9. Ensure the task is meaningful to the team and the company.
10. When building a virtual team, solicit volunteers as much as possible.

A more detailed description of these rules can be found here. Also below is an interesting video that highlights the benefits of Virtual Teams. Please take a look and enjoy the points brought up by this man.

Why Stay Connected?

Throughout my college life, all I have heard from my professors, public speakers, and many company presentations, is that in order to get ahead in life, you must be well connected. Now what do we mean by connected? Connected means that you know many people who can help you through jobs and many other employment opportunities. I strongly agree with this because the more people you know, the better off you are and the easier it will be to find a job in the future. I have been looking for jobs and internships since freshman year and let me tell you it has not been easy. Employers have told me that its good that I am starting off early and searching for jobs and internships, but they are looking for "older and more experienced" juniors or seniors. However, nothing is easy and in order to actually find a job, you must take advantage of all connections and opportunities available to you. An article posted on Boston.com, gives some very helpful steps to doing so. They are as follows:

Step 1 – Define yourself and what you’re looking for
Step 2 – Define your initial network
Step 3 – Start in your comfort zone
Step 4 – Expand your network beyond campus
Step 5 – Keep track and keep in touch

Utilizing all of your resources is essential to your success in finding a job. I just found out about a site called LinkedIn. This site provides everything you would need in the business world such as contacts, jobs, expert advice, and many other opportunities and this is all told to you on the front page of the site. Also below is a great video that tells you all about the site.

The basic message is to stay in touch with people who can help you and develop your own network. In order to succeed in life, you must take advantage of every resource available to you. In other words, "It's not what you know, but who you know."