How do you present yourself to the world?
This is a question I’ve been pondering for awhile. My curiosity was kicked into overdrive at the last
Social Media Club meeting here in
Atlanta. The question of the night centered on a similar question – Does your online identity differ from your offline identity?
During our discussion, many people touched on similar points – each drawing from a central truth; Most of us do not act one way, all the time, with all people.
My mother once told me a metaphor I that has always helped me clarify my relationships, professional or otherwise. The metaphor goes something like this;
- You have lots of different friends that you want to spend time with;
- You have the group you would invite to join you for dinner at your house, but you wouldn’t let them watch you cook.
- Then there are the friends you would invite for dinner and talk with while you were cooking, hanging out in the kitchen – but you wouldn’t invite them to stay for a movie.
- Then there is a closer, small group of friends you would invite over for a movie, to relax with you and unwind – but you wouldn’t invite them into your bedroom.
- Then, lastly, there is the select group of friends you would invite into your bedroom, your dearest friends and companions.
- You are no more or less sincere with any one group, you are no more or less yourself – you simply have different boundaries.
So, what on earth does this busy house have to do with online how you present yourself to the world? Simply put, the metaphor has helped me form my boundaries for my online identity, my professional identity, and my personal identity.
How do you form your online identity? Do you have boundaries with your LinkedIn connections that aren’t visible in your personal blog?
The way I see it, at this stage in my career, all of my online dealings are potential representations of my work, my identity to future employers. Some very smart people at our SMC dinner noted, as you gain professional experience, your talent and accomplishments speak loudly.
As the apt quote from
Henry Ford goes;
"You can't build a reputation on what you are going to do."
-- Henry Ford (1863 - 1947)
So until you have a reputation that speaks for itself, be mindful of how you present yourself to the world. For heavens sake, don't put forth a false front - Just be, well, smart about it.
So how do you handle you online identity? Do you share everything or keep something only for certain networks?
If nothing else, this teaches us that nothing is permanent.
