Chances are your friends, family members and potential employers have, or will at some point, google your name to find out more about you.
A recent study found that 45% of employers use social networking sites to find out more about job candidates. It’s no secret that your online activities can have a real impact on your reputation and career prospects.
Our online practices can also impact the reputation of others. For instance, an image that you post of your friend can influence their personal and professional reputation.
It’s important, therefore, to take some time to think about your ‘digital footprint’ or ‘online presence’. This is the data you leave behind when you go online, such as the comments you’ve posted, images and videos you’re tagged in, your social media profile, as well as the online information that someone else posts about you.
Online module
To support students in dealing with these issues, the University has launched a new online module called ‘Developing a positive online presence.’
The short module, which can be accessed online anytime in the KnowHow: Academic Success module on VITAL, explores how to develop a digital footprint that can benefit you in the future, including enhancing your future employability.
What the module covers:
The module includes:
- information about digital activities that constitute your online presence and the various ways these can affect you and others
- advice from our Careers and Employability team about how to develop a digital footprint that will enhance your future employability
- information about how to deal with potential risks in online spaces, particularly harassment, and seek support services at the University and/or Guild if needed
- signposting to safeguarding tools which can be used to mitigate against negative online behaviour
The content of the module has been developed following research at the University, which gathered students’ online experiences to better understand how they can be supported in critically navigating online spaces. The research and related training resources have been funded by the Office for Students (OfS).
How do I access the module?
Log into VITAL via the University of Liverpool intranet. If you are a student, look at the My Courses list, and you should see the KnowHow: Academic success suite of workshops and modules. Click on that KnowHow link and you will find the module ‘Developing a positive online presence’.
University Social Media Compliance Policy
Familiarise yourself with the University’s Social Media Compliance Policy and make sure you know the rules to protect privacy relating to your area of study at the University. For example, Health Sciences, Dentistry, Medical and Veterinary students must retain professionalism and respect confidentiality in clinical cases. Research students must also be aware of rules governing the recruitment of study volunteers.
Check out our list of what you need to know and some tips about how to stay safe on social media.
For more information about KnowHow modules, please click here.