Your Reputation Begins Today

Your Reputation Begins Today As college Freshmen begin unpacking their stuff and moving into dorms across the country, I wanted to share some important information. It is too important and cant wait until senior year!   As the wise Warren Buffet said:   It Begins the Day You Arrive On Campus It is your reputation. And your reputation is how people perceive you and/or what you are known for. What better time to give careful thought to your image and character. In many respects, freshman year is a time of new beginnings. The slate has been wiped clean with your set of new friends. Online- Your Reputation Is Already Out There- Keep It Clean Profanity, photos, extremismthese things damage your reputation, so keep it clean online. Heck, in person too. I realize Facebook may be the weapon of choice to keep in contact with friends. Please make sure you have chosen the appropriate privacy settings for your status updates. Usually this is friends.  And be careful when posting from your mobile device, those privacy settings can sometimes change and you dont want to send updates to the entire Facebook universe accidentally. Your Parents Didnt Tell You This There are three things your parents probably didnt tell you. 1) Get a job, internship, co-op every year!  You need work experience because your future employer expects it. It is one thing to get good grades and another thing to have good work ethic and apply what youve learned. No excuses, get work experience! 2) Join on-campus activities! Clubs, groups, sororities, whatever. Become involved on campus. These activities provide leadership opportunities, build interpersonal communication, and build your network! 3) Link with people! Dont wait until senior year to begin thinking about who you know who can help you find a job. Begin building these connections on LINKEDIN today. Oh, you dont have a LinkedIn profile? Go get one and connect with the professors, alumni, group leaders and people you will work with! Build Your Portfolio The experiences you will have over the next for years can be documented in your online portfolio! Dont just tuck those awards and projects in a folder- post them to your online portfolio (either on LinkedIn or on your own website!) This becomes visual proof that you have skills and experience! Congratulations and Good Luck Make it the best four years ever! But never forget, perception is reality! Be the best you possible! PS: I delivered this message to RIT freshmen last year and will be delivering it again to them today! This was last years shot from the stage at over 2,000 freshmen. And here is a link to the video of my presentation!