Considering that you are reading this blog, it is probably safe to assume that you have some type of an online presence? If not, then it is definitely time to get started! As an aspiring administrator, the standard that you set for yourself in social media will go a long way in supporting and acquiring your first admin position.

I was a late bloomer to social media and definitely tried to avoid it for as long as possible. At one point I could be characterized as that person that still had the flip phone, was not yet signed up for Facebook, and was utterly confused what blogs and tweets were. A few years ago I decided that it was time to test the waters, but rather than simply stick my foot in to gauge the temperature, I dove in head first! Taking that step definitely supported me in getting my first admin position and continues to support my own professional growth and learning on a daily basis.

This post will take you through a few popular social media platforms that you should be using as well as, hopefully, offer a few suggestions along the way for appropriate and positive use.

1. Twitter – Right now, Twitter is my best source for professional learning as well as for showcasing all of the amazing things happening at my school (#sisrocks). There are hundreds of chats available every week to meet every individual’s professional learning needs. I have committed to one chat a week (#engagechat), but also contribute and/or lurk in a couple others as well. Have a look at this list to find a chat that not only interests you, but also works in your schedule. Another positive aspect of Twitter is the ability to tweet out all of the wonderful teaching and learning happening in your classroom or school (a great way to promote your school). If you have yet to tweet, take a picture of a cool activity in your classroom, write a sentence or two of the learning taking place, and hit “tweet”. The catchier the description, the more people you will draw in. I have found that some overlap of your professional and personal life is okay, but I would recommend to keep most of your tweets strictly professional. Be careful, once you get started it will be an awesome ride!
2. Blogs – My colleague and mentor, Jeannie Sung, encouraged me earlier this school year to start up a professional blog in order to share my journey and professional learning with the world. It was difficult at first to come up with topics to write and honestly, I felt as though no one would care to read what I wrote. However, over time I have found that not only do I enjoy writing blogs, but people are actually reading and responding to them. It was through my blog that I got started writing on the topic of aspiring administrators and that has encouraged me to take it one step further with presenting on this topic at international workshops and starting to get published in educational magazines. I committed to writing a blog once every two to three weeks, which has helped me remain accountable to my goal. I use wordpress as the platform for my blog (it’s free), but there are many others out there as well. I have no doubt that my blog will be a positive resource for me when I look for future employment.
3. LinkedIn – This is a professional platform that you can use, similar to Facebook, in order to connect with other educators as well as promote yourself to the world. I have not only used it to make professional connections, but it also serves as a place for me to keep an updated resume. Once you get signed up and fill out all of the necessary requirements, start finding and adding connections. You do not need to update it very often, as I have found that most updates occur when people are trying to find jobs and are looking to expand their network.
4. Strikingly – I have only recently begun to use Strikingly and am still trying to figure out all of the ins and outs of this resource. I have begun using it as an online resume. Not only am I able to share my CV through this platform, but I can also highlight many other aspects of my professional career that may not be possible with a paper copy of my resume. I also love that this “online resume” can be a living document, rather than the paper CV that sits in my Dropbox. With Strikingly, I can create links to my other social media platforms, share personal presentations, and make a visually appealing resume for future job searches. More and more, as I go through applications, I am seeing links to professional websites. The possibilities to show your own creativity and innovation are endless with personal websites and online resumes. It also shows your ability to understand, manage, and compete in the world of technology.
5. Slides Carnival – At the end of March, I am going to present at the EARCOS Teacher’s Conference in Manila on the topic of aspiring administrators. I have used Slides Carnival to create my presentation and could not be more pleased with the designs, layouts, and usability of this resource. I strongly recommend that if you are giving a presentation, to have a look at all of the options. It is extremely simple to either download the presentation template to your personal google drive or desktop. One cool feature is the last slide of the template that gives you different symbols and pictures that you can use in your presentation. If you are looking to modernize your presentations, Slides Carnival is definitely worth a look.