Mother: “Rohan! I am fed up with the way you
waste time on social networking sites. They are simply a hindrance in your
studies.”
Rohan: “Mom, it’s not as redundant as you
think. In fact, nowadays social media has been very effective and helpful. It
not only entertains us but also help us in apposite networking and information.”
Mother, “Haha! Stop befooling your mother.
How can social media be of any good use? Does it assist you in your studies or
in making an appropriate career decision?”
Rohan, “Of course mom. It definitely does! Provided
we use it to good effect.”
You all must have
experienced similar conversations wherein parents stress on the detriments of
social medial whereas you advocate its essentiality but in vain. Through this
article, I intend to break your mental blocks regarding the uses of social
media and assist you in discovering its multifaceted roles in your education
and career planning.
Now, you must be
wondering how social media can help you explore plausible career opportunities
and decide an appropriate course of action for a successful career. While keeping
in mind the inherent risks involved in social media, it is equally important to
be familiar with the plethora of potential benefits that social media offers in
order to attain your educational objectives.
Social media
redefines the way we relate to other humans and to the organizations with which
we are affiliated. It is dialogical – a two way communication that brings
people together to discover and share information, build networks and enhance
professional development.
Social
networking sites like Facebook, Google+, LinkedIn, iBibo, Hi5, Myspace etc. are
not only a platform for meeting new people and getting in touch with old
friends but it is also a common dais for sharing and exchanging information,
knowledge and creativity with concurring individuals. Social media
fosters deeper
learning experiences, promote collaboration, and provide timely feedback. A few ways have been listed
below which can help you explore the new dimensions of learning and career
planning with the help of innovative activities on social media:
·
Discussion
Forums: You can create study groups on sites like Google+, Facebook etc. in
order to initiate discussions about specific subjects. Members of the group can
post links, media, queries, editable documents, events, and can comment on the
posts too. You can invite students from various schools to be a member of your
groups as it will augment informative and qualitative aspects of the trending discussions.
Request your teachers and seniors to monitor the authenticity and
appropriateness of the content, and answer the queries posted on the study
groups. Learning in collaboration with your peers and teachers will enable you
to build better school communities. Moreover, it is fun too!
·
Class
Blogs: If you are fond of blogging, create your own class blogs on sites
like edublogs, weebly, kidsblog etc. Blogs are a form of online journal with
one or several authors that encourage creative writing, improve grammar skills
and enhance your knowledge about various subjects. You can also import study
relevant blogs from Blogger, LiveJournal and other blogging services to your
individual profiles or study groups.
·
Expand
your circle of knowledge: Sharing knowledge (or study material!) with
others help you expand your knowledge horizon. You can help each other with
homework and research by sharing documents, study material, assignments, and
notes on sites like dropbox, scribd, icloud etc. Slideshare is the world’s
largest community for sharing online presentations. You can also tag your
friends in Facebook notes to share relevant information and embed images about
specific educational topics and career information.
·
Nailing
down the competitive exams: Preparation for competitive exams may elicit
anxiety and stress. However, joining groups related to specific competitive/entrance
exams like SSC, IAS, AIEEE, JEE, CLAT, NET, CTET, NCHMCT, NIFT and many more,
wherein individuals discuss queries, share their experiences and other relevant
information regarding the exams can provide some relief. It serves as a good
platform for interaction between people who have passed the exam and those who
are aspiring for it.
·
Straight
from the horse’s mouth: Locate an expert in the field of your interest and
‘shadow’ them on the net. Sites for professional networking like LinkedIn helps
you to view the profiles of professionals who are well placed in their careers.
You can also follow them on Facebook to familiarize yourself with the ideas
they broadcast and their public updates. You may also join career related pages
or groups to know further about the practical aspects of your impending profession
and the latest developments. Joining pages and groups of the colleges in which
you are interested to study would acquaint you with the ethos of that college
including its students, alumni, events and happenings.
Not only this
much! In the age of Web 2.0, you can do much more with social media like initiate
a campaign; spread awareness; assess the reviews of a particular educational
course, college, and career; use google tools for education, find breaking news
stories on Twitter, use geotagging to find places you are studying, download
e-books and audio books from sites like libgen and ebooks, etc.
A Word of Caution!
In this digital
age if you err in judgment, you could have massive repercussions. Any
injudicious post on social media can be used against you in future by your
prospective employer. Deletion is just an illusion as everything is recorded on
their database even after it appears deleted. When in doubt, remember to opt
for the discretion of your parents and teachers. Also, over dependence on the
internet for every idea may surpass your own thoughts and creativity.
“Participation
is no longer an option as Social Media isn’t a spectator sport” (Solis 2008). Engaging
in social media not only helps you shape your online presence but also make you
digitally literate. So go ahead cautiously and discover the power of social
media!
The article is published here: http://www.idreamcareer.com/social-media-for-career-planning/
No comments:
Post a Comment