Session 1

Home  |  Session 1  |  Session 2  |  Session 3Examples  |  Submit Your Portfolio  |  Contest Details

WiR-network-5.png Professional Networking and Social Media

Overview of Contemporary Professional Networking

  1. Presentation by Jennifer Jordan JSG Career Services
  2. Networking on social media
    • Networks: LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, ResearchGate, online conference networks
    • What you need: an active professional presence on key professional networks, understanding of network norms and what they do, idea of your goals
  3. Developing your online professional profile
    • Media spaces: Google search results, institutional websites
    • What you need: polished professional profile or website indexed by search engines, no "liabilities" in search results for your name
  4. Networking events and job applications
    • Venues: career fairs, job interviews, conferences etc.  
    • What you need: a good resume, strong cover letter, elevator pitch

Social Media for Professional Networking

comaprison.png

Scientists' use of Social Media (Van Noorden, 2014 Links to an external site.)

LinkedIn

LinkedIn is a social network for developing and sustaining professional communities. It is used broadly among geoscientists in industry and the academy. JSG Career Services recommends that JSG students take advantage of this network, and affiliate themselves with University of Texas Links to an external site. and the Jackson School of Geosciences Links to an external site. to start.  

LinkedIn.png
Scientists' use of LinkedIn (Van Noorden, 2014 Links to an external site.)

Features

Key networks for JSG students

Guidance for developing your profile

Facebook

Facebook is known as primarily as a network for maintaining personal connections, but for many contemporary geoscientists the distinction between personal and professional connections and activities is not clear. In any case, Facebook can be an excellent way to keep in touch with classmates when you move or face other life changes.  Be sure to connect with Jackson School's Links to an external site., the JSG Alumni/Student Mentor Group Links to an external site. and Science Y'all Links to an external site.

Facebook.png
Scientists' use of Facebook (Van Noorden, 2014 Links to an external site.)

Features

  • Use Facebook Groups to create your own student and professional networks.

Key networks for JSG students

Guidance for developing your profile

  • It is important to “Share” and “Like” company pages. Find out who else “Likes” this company and consider adding them to your network.
  • Join or “Like” Facebook Groups that relate to your interests. Become an active contributor to the group page and build your professional network.
  • Use the “About” page to provide the title and description of experiences that are similar to the type of job that you are interested in.
  • Use your “Status” to discuss your accomplishments and future goals.

Twitter

Geoscience professionals use Twitter to follow issues and discussions, stay up to date with leaders in their field, and disseminate their own work. Follow @txgeosciences Links to an external site., stay up-to-date on student writing @utscienceyall Links to an external site., watch for jobs @Shell_Careers Links to an external site., or share conference experiences @theAGU Links to an external site. and @geosociety Links to an external site.

twitter.png
Scientists' use of Twitter (Van Noorden, 2014 Links to an external site.)

Key networks for JSG students

Guidance

  • Personalize your “Handle” (your username on Twitter). Use a short name that people can refer to you by if your real name is very long. Ex: @cmcdaniel
  • Your tweets can include your career interests, goals, experience, and training. Really use your twitter profile to showcase what you are capable of to other professionals and recruiters.
  • For professional use, you should “Hashtag” using words that are career related. For instance: #jobs, #employment

ResearchGate

ResearchGate is a social network specifically for researchers.  It can be a great way for you to disseminate your work, monitor how others cite and use it, keep track of the activity of your colleagues and institutions, create new research connections and even organize projects. In a recent study published by Van Noorden (2014) in Nature on how scholars use social media, ResearchGate emerged as one of the most important and frequently used networks. Affiliate yourself with your department or unit to automatically be linked with your colleagues.

ResearchGate.png
Scientists' use of ResearchGate (Van Noorden, 2014 Links to an external site.)

 

 

Home  |  Session 1  |  Session 2  |  Session 3Examples  |  Submit Your Portfolio  |  Contest Details