The Presentation of Self: Performance Distinction between LinkedIn & an E-portfolio Folayemi Akinbolaji Writing with New Media

Project Goals  The goal of this project is to understand how to present yourself in a professional manner using two social platforms to make that happen.  LinkedIn, a social media platform geared towards professionals and those seeking to gain professionalism or employment in their field of study.  E-portfolio, an institutional platform that affords students from particular institutions to showcase their work over the course of their college career.

The Timeline  Week 1: Create my LinkedIn account. Learn the ropes in understanding what is essential to include in my profile (such as profile picture, summary, groups, connections, etc.)  Week 2: Work on my e-portfolio more by updating my content, photos, and layout. Choose a software to begin working on producing my e-magazine  Week 3: Meet with a member of the Professional Development team that can be helpful in implementing worthy professional content onto my LinkedIn account. Take pictures to include into the e-magazine that way everything is my own.  Week 4: Begin asking friends/family/ professors to compare my presentation in reality vs. LinkedIn profile to help me further create my “How To” e-magazine

What Will Make My Project Successful?  A well thought out e-magazine with visuals and guidelines that can be beneficial to other college students.  Having the advice/feedback from professors/employers who know the skill of being professional and what is primarily being advocated for in a college student such as:  Maintaining composure when challenged  Speaking and writing in a manner appropriate to the audience (e.g., different levels of formality in different contexts)  Being receptive to feedback and constructive criticism (e.g., a willingness to learn and improve)  Respecting others’ professional position, particularly those in authority (e.g., referencing people formally unless instructed otherwise)  Being on time  Being prepared for the task at hand  Using what I’ve learned to find employment/internship/or volunteer work that pertains to my field of study

Looking ahead towards the final week… As this is the least week of my project, I am looking to get feedback from peers, family, professors, and friends about how they see me in person and online. The same will go for my e-portfolio site. I will lastly work on all photos that will be included in the magazine as well as all content to be featured. Finally, I want all final projects of each class I have taken this semester to reflect into my e-portfolio.