WhyHire.Me

I've recently joined a website (WhyHire.Me) as part of a school project, and essentially the site allows you to create your own online profile showcasing your experiences and achievements, to create your own personal brand.
I'm personally really excited about having done this project, it has forced me to think about what kind of person I am, and what my goals are in life. While I may still not know EXACTLY what career I would like to have after graduating from Carleton University, I have a much better idea of who I am, what I stand for, and what makes me happy.
I never thought about the importance of branding myself before, especially when it comes to my online presence; I do see now how important it is in this day and age to really be active online and make who you are known to the world, while being careful about what you're sending out.

We all go out with friends to have a good time, taking lots of pictures and talking about it for days afterward; but what is considered acceptable to be put online? Do we ever think about things like this when we log in to Facebook, Myspace, Twitter, or any other social networking site? Not usually.
We seem to think that we can put anything we want on the internet and that it will still be "ours", safe and private; but in reality, this is not true at all. I've already found it difficult to erase what I've posted in the past on some social networking sites, not because they were particularly "bad" things, but they would certainly be considered inappropriate in a professional setting. There are certain things you would never say or show to a potential employer during an interview (like that picture of you dancing it up with your girlfriends at the bar) but you would post it on Facebook, right? Well, whenever you put something like that online, it's just like you've hauled it out during an interview.
Potential employers can EASILY search for you online and find things you didn't even know were there. What impression do you think you've made on them without even knowing it? Potentially not a good one!
 It's amazing how one sentence you've said to a friend can potentially make you look like an idiot, and then it seems almost impossible to change that impression.
I'm very happy to say that while my online presence has yet to really grow and become substantial, that also means there isn't a whole lot about me that can be searched. I am, however, making an effort to portray myself (online and in person) as the kind of strong, hard-working, intelligent person that I am. It's a daunting task at times, but I think it's something that everyone should strive to achieve.

The internet and technology is becoming more and more prevalent in our everyday lives and we really need to be a part of it, learning and growing along with it. WhyHire.Me and my Marketing: New Tools class have helped me understand this and I am grateful for the opportunity.
I would suggest to anyone trying to make a professional statement about themselves to try a site like WhyHire.Me, LinkedIn, or any other social networking site that is surrounded by a "professional" theme.