The Importance of a Facebook Page

Welcome back!

This week in ALES 204, we made a Facebook page! You may wonder how this differs from your Facebook profile, so here's a simple distinction:

• "Facebook page is a public profile that can be used to promote a small business, organization, band, or celebrity that allows fans to connect on a deeper level and attract new potential audiences. Businesses cannot have a friends' list on their Facebook page, however people can become fans and follow posts and statuses of the business."¹

• Facebook profile is a personal profile, filled with photos, statuses and a friends' list.² This is separate from a page because profiles are not meant to popularize a business, person, or organization.¹ It provides a summary of who you are, your interests, and is a more up-to-date news feed of what is happening in that person's life.²

Before this class, I never thought of a Facebook page as a tool to connect with employers and provide an on-line "resume." I should've known better since everything has shifted to the cyber world. How often do we say, "Are you on Facebook?" when we meet someone new? I know you may not admit it, however, I am sure we have all Googled our names to see what shows up. Therefore, it's expected that a future employer would do the same to gain some background information on a potential employee. We must be aware of the consequences of our words and media we put forth on the web because once it's out there, it is virtually permanent. This could be just as fatal to our professional lives as handing in a paper resume riddled with spelling errors and bad grammar. That is why it is essential for us to know how to present ourselves in the most dignified and professional way when using social media as a tool to gain opportunities. Hence, this week's assignment! In ALES lab, we learned how to construct a Facebook page and design it in a matter that relays important and vital information to the business world. Here is a quick look at my page:

Jessie Brar's Facebook profile (taken January 26, 2012)

This Facebook page will be helpful in that it is a quick way for employers to gain insight into my goals, history, and even my personality. I find it important for people to see my true self, as a resume doesn't always show that a person is bright and bubbly. The page allows for creativity and can be a safe ground to share my thoughts and opinions. Additionally, a Facebook page is not meant to be an in-depth resume about job/school history, skills, interests, etc. It is a general overview of a person and allows to the person to control his/her image that is presented. Many times over, we have heard of people acting irresponsibly on Facebook and updating statuses that defame their place of employment. People must realize that this information is out for the world to see and your words can have detrimental effects. Many of us have bad days at work and love to vent, but most times, Facebook and Twitter are not the outlets to use. Bosses checking up on workers via Facebook is an article detailing people's irresponsible behavior by posting inappropriate pictures and using their blogs to talk ill of their boss. Also mentioned is the increasing trend of employers using these social networking sites to check up on current or potential employees. My question is: Where do we strike the balance between work and life?

If you're interested in viewing some of my classmates' Facebook pages, here's a link to Kelsey Rutar's blog. She is studying Human Ecology and if you like fashion and all its different facets, her page is where you want to be!

¹ Difference Between a Page and Profile on Facebook, Social Reflections, Retrieved January 23, 2012, from http://www.socialreflections.com/difference-between-a-page-and-profile-on-facebook/
² Profile, Facebook, Retrieved January 23, 2012, from http://www.facebook.com/about/profile/ 

ALES Intro Blog

Welcome!

I'm Jasveer Brar, but prefer to go by Jessie. This is my first time blogging and I'm unsure how I feel about this. It's exciting but confusing and I feel like I'll be spending lots of time on here! I am a third-year student at the U of A in the Nutrition and Food Sciences Major. It took a long time for me to figure out what I wanted to do and just as importantly, what I DON'T want to do, and this was a comfortable fit. I have a curious mind where I am always ready to explore and learn. In my mind, that is essential for a career where there is always new information presenting itself. I can't say I am a library of knowledge in regards to this career but I have the drive and the hunger to learn. I also cannot say where I will end up in 5 years, but I know I want to work towards becoming a Registered Dietitian. Although working in a clinical setting is intriguing, I can see myself educating and perhaps working with some variation of an outreach program where I am able to visit different groups of people. What I love about this arena of work is that there are options! Options of where to work, who to work for, and what kind of work to be doing! I'm mind-numbingly anxious and nervous of what the future holds, but excited nonetheless!

(taken from personal library of pictures)

That is me (on the left) and my sister this past summer in England. I love, love, love England and have always wanted to live there, even for just a year. Interesting fact: I was born in Reading, England and moved to Edmonton when I was three years old. There are numerous places I want to travel and hope that I can cross them off of my bucket list one day.

In this day and age, social media has become a lifeline for the majority of us. Many people use it to connect with family and friends that are dispersed around the world. For some people, it is an outlet to voice their thoughts and opinions, and yet for others it serves entertainment purposes. Personally, social media has allowed me to re-connect with family and friends abroad and rekindle close relationships. I am able to live halfway across the world but still be connected to my cousins and feel as if I was with them on their birthdays through their pictures. Social media definitely has its flaws, but the benefits are much more substantial. It allows us to connect to the world and all it has to offer. With the mere click of a button, we have all the information we need at our fingertips and much more than we could ever imagine. Whether it is people communicating from opposite ends of the world, or bloggers exchanging ideas on the best technique to make grilled cheese, social media connects the inhabitants of this world in a way that has never been done before.

In reference to my future career endeavors, social media can be a weary subject. If I am to advise patients and assist in improving their health and lifestyle, it is essential to rely on scientific journals and peer-reviewed articles. Social media has it benefits in presenting ideas and networking, but doesn't offer much in terms of information that can be relied on for professional use. If anything, all the social media outlets I will be using will be more for personal use. I use blogs and other forms of informal postings to find new recipes and get ideas of all sorts. I am not totally sure if magazines fall under the bracket of social media (which is a vague concept to me still), but that is another source of knowledge I rely on for everyday use. One benefit of social networking and all the various outlets is that I can use it to open my eyes to new ideas and research being conducted. Communication of research and important findings will have a bigger impact on my career and success, rather than knowing how someone made the best spinach pizza.

I never gave social media any thought before this class and how much of a role it plays in our lives. I used Facebook before this class and understood the impact of your words and opinions being posted on the worldwide web can have, but I can't wait to learn how I can network and expand my opportunities!

If interested in following another student in ALES 204, click here!

I've recently just become addicted to Pinterest, and found some awesome recipes here. I'm proud to announce I made Broccoli Cheese and Potato soup the other day and it was a success!