Introduction
What is Digital Professionalism?
Digital Professionalism can be defined as:
the competence or skill expected of a professional when engaged in social, digital and mobile communication
(Amended from OxfordEnglishDictionary.com definition of Professionalism 2017)
Although increasing numbers of us inhabit the digital space, younger students and recently qualified professionals who are often proficient and seasoned social media users may not yet be insightful, with regard to the expectations of them as professionals. Experienced professionals, who may not be as technologically fluent, can feel intimidated by how widely published and permanent their words and comments are online, may simply not be that familiar with social and digital media and the internet, or may feel that it is simply not relevant to them.
Social media and mobile technology are now ubiquitous, mainstream sources of entertainment, essential for communications with family and friends, for building and improving networks of people, facilitating collaboration with colleagues and those with shared common interests.
You need to consider the potential impact of your image to be found online and how it can impact upon you. In a national US survey, from February to March 2016, almost 60% of employers in the area of healthcare admitted to researching candidates online. "Tools such as Facebook and Twitter enable employers to get a glimpse of who candidates are outside the confines of a resume or cover letter," said Rosemary Haefner, chief human resources officer of CareerBuilder.
Achieving any level of online privacy is increasingly difficult to achieve; it requires regular attention and a certain level of awareness and technical fluency to maintain.
You have a right to free speech, to join communities and publish material online, but enhance your digital profile, don't lead others to question your integrity, don't inhibit your career, the reputation of your profession, university and employer. Whether you agree with it or not, you will be judged by the material to be found about you online. In the same survey mentioned above, over forty percent of employers said that they were less likely to interview a candidate if they were unable to find information about that person online. So, before you even think of deleting or concealing an Instagram or Facebook profile, let's take a step back to assess the situation. If your online profile is destined to have impact, let's make sure it is a positive one!
