Creating a Positive Digital Footprint

In today’s world, your digital footprint matters. To build a positive digital footprint, consider what you publish online. At some stage someone will search for you online. It could be your future boss, teacher, or parent.

Set your privacy settings

Here are some ideas: knowing what should be public is just as important as knowing what should be private. When posting on any platform or visiting websites, make sure the privacy setting suit your needs.

Consider your future

When applying for jobs or promotions, you need to be mindful that employers may search for information about you online. Any information that contributes to a negative digital footprint, such as racist or sexist content may impact the final decision as to whether the employer offers you the job or not.

Taking steps to construct a positive digital footprint will help to represent the person you want people to see in your career goals.

Posting Positively online

Depending on the platform you can use words, photos, videos or a mix of these to tell stories about your interests, achievements and experiences. Some examples of ways to showcase yourself positively online include:

Write a blog post about a book you read.

Create an online sponsorship page for a specific fundraising activity you’re involved in.

Write an article for your school about an experience at camp or an activity, sporting event.

Upload digital artworks to your blog.

Post yourself doing volunteer work for your community it would show leadership.

Think before you post – Share with care

After a stressful day or event, you may want to jump online to vent about class, or a teacher. While it may be difficult to overcome this erge, stopping yourself from acting impulsively will matter in the long run.

Self regulation is knowing when something you want to post online is or isn’t appropriate. Ask yourself whether you want your parents, teachers, team mates seeing the content. If people you look up to wouldn’t approve, don’t do it.

Are my personal details private? Only ever publish using first name and initial of surname. Never publish any personal details such as address or age or names of family members.

Is the content positive? Everything you post online should be positive or constructive so that it adds value to the digital footprint. It’s better to have a positive online presence or non at all.

Am I producing quality work? All work shared on line should be of high quality. This means should be thoughtful and checked for spelling and grammar errors.

Whatever you post online someone ins bound to see, make sure it leaves them impacted positively. By using these tips you will be in good shape to building a positive footprint that is an asset to a future career.

Every couple of months Google yourself and make sure you are represented positively on line. Adjust your privacy settings so your Instagram pictures don’t pop up.

Keep as much as you can private, even if you think pictures are private it doesn’t mean it is. Allow only people you know to have access to it. Never tell anyone or share your passwords. People can hack your account and post things you wouldn’t ever post.

*All information and photos were taken from Google and google images.

Personal/Social Competency Reflection:

I know that my digital footprint can have both negative and positive consequences including compromising future employment opportunities or getting noticed for volunteer work in a good way, so I adjust my actions to reflect this.

Some of my preferred strategies for maintaining a healthy, balanced online presence include not engaging at all or communicating only with my chosen friends and only posting and responding to positive things.

My values around social media inform my decisions about what I chose to disclose, upload, communicate by sharing online.