networking for work: using the web to demonstrate your skills
TRANSCRIPT
Using the web to demonstrate your skills
Networking for Work: http://networkingforwork.org.uk
Using the web todemonstrate your skills
- Creating your own online spaces to illustrate what you can do: some vivid examples of people using blogs, visuals and video to illustrate their skills and an outline of our resources to help you do the same.
- Networking yourself and your skills online: examples of people using Facebook and Twitter to market themselves to their target audiences and an outline of our resources to help you do the same.
Having a good CV is essential for job-hunting but by using online tools you can bring the written word to life. Use tools such as blogs to show as well as tell potential employers what you're capable of.
[Image by Charlotte West]
What is a blog?
- Blogs are websites that are easy to create and regularly update. - There are many blogging platforms you can use to quickly create a free, hosted website. All you need for sign-up is an email address.
- Blogging platforms such as Wordpress have very simple user interfaces, meaning you don't have to know any nasty code to make them work for you. If you can use email confidently or shop online, you can easily create and use a blog.
An online space you can make your ownTom Baker runs a small community bakery in Birmingham and has used a simple Wordpress blog to create a website to demonstrate his specialist skills, outline his bakery's services and engage customers.
Find our resources on networkingforwork.org.ukFind our video guide to 'Creating a website with Wordpress.com' and other blog-related resources, including Kind of Digital's guide 'What is Blogging?', under 'Blogs' on the 'Resources' page of our website.
A picture is worth a thousand wordsFemale painter and decorator Liz posts pictures of her work, including 'before and after' shots, on her Juniper Ash Decorating website, vividly illustrating her skill and impact.
Bring your skills to life with some videoBirmingham-based Zumba instructor Jolene Speke creates simple instruction videos and publishes them on YouTube to then share on her website and Facebook profile. View http://youtu.be/xvLnFBeyDgg to see how Jolene uses video to demonstrate her expertise.
Find our resources on networkingforwork.org.ukFind some helpful guides, hints and tips to publishing images and video online under 'Multimedia' on the 'Resources' page of our website.
Network your skills onlineDriving instructor Scott Rathbone uses a Facebook page to publicise his Ultimate Driving Skool business. He engages his customers with helpful driving hints and tips and publicly congratulates his successful customers, highlighting his own skills in the process.
Use Facebook to help you connect and communicateJolene Speke uses her Facebook profile to connect with and keep in touch with her customers, letting them know of class arrangements. She also uses it to share her demonstration videos and photos.
Find our resources on networkingforwork.org.ukFind some helpful guides, hints and tips to getting started with Facebook under 'Facebook' on the 'Resources' page of our website.
Get talking to people via TwitterTom Baker uses his Twitter account to talk connect with local people, show off his latest cullinary creations and keep customers updated of the latest developments at Loaf bakery. He posts links to blog posts on his Twitter account to help widen the reach of his website's content.
Find our resources on networkingforwork.org.ukFind some helpful guides, hints and tips to getting started with Twitter under 'Twitter' on the 'Resources' page of our website.
Advantages of using the web to bring your CV to life:
- You can create online spaces that you have full control over, which you can use to highlight and show off your skills and successes.
- If updated regularly, these online spaces will rank highly in a Google search for your name, so will help form an impressive, professional online profile.
- You can use social networks such as Facebook and Twitter to connect with people, network yourself locally/within your chosen industry and demonstrate your knowledge to potential employers.
