Why Would You Put Your Kid's Face on a Blog?

I entered into a joint venture with the kid a few years ago and we created a blog, RaisingTarah.com. The writing has stopped but I can't bear to shut the site down until I find a way to make a book or something like that to save it for all eternity. Any ideas?Anyhow, I came across my post. This was written in 2010 and I am still asked the same question today.

Photo credit: iStockphoto

Photo credit: iStockphoto

I attended the Minnesota Bloggers Conference a few weeks ago. Many of the attendees blogged about their children or very personal subjects and the topic of privacy was a point of discussion throughout the day.

Privacy is a tough issue.

I  recall talking to a neighbor about my kid going to daycare because I worked. I was feeling guilty and wondering if I was a "good" mom. What she said to me then still sticks with me now. She said, "good moms find good day care."

It's all about the choices we make.

Social media is here to stay. This "online world" was unknown to me 4-5 years ago. And I was a bit afraid. I knew that me being afraid of a world that I would have to guide my daughter through was unacceptable and would have to change.

I chose to immerse myself in social media.

A matter of paramount importance to me throughtout has been privacy. Privacy for myself is one thing and privacy for my daughter, Tarah, is another. Tarah is digitally distinct - not because of anything she's done, but because of things I've done.

I chose to expose my daughter to social media and to include her (and her face) in it.

Why would a parent put a child's face on a blog, school pictures on Facebook, or buy her her own domain? Why not? And I ask that not flippantly or throwing caution to the wind. Really, why not?

The "why not" for us is that it is one thing to be uniformed and afraid - it is another to be informed and aware. We, as a family,  choose to be informed and aware. We are maneuvering through the web, the tools, and the changes carefully, thoughtfully and in a way that we feel is right for our family.

This may not be right for you. And that's ok. It don't agree with the clothes you let your daughter wear or the way you let her talk  back to you, or the way you let your son skateboard through town on his own when he should be in bed or . . . but I digress.

We are not all going to agree on privacy, nor should we. What matters is that we, as parents, are making the choices that we feel are right for our family.

It's about choice. Privacy is personal. Only you can decide.

Contacting HR Pros through Social Media

Summer has finally come to Minnesota and I am finding it very difficult to think about anything HR/leadership-ish outside the workday. So, I looked back to this time last year to see what was on my mind then - and this is it. Enjoy this post from the archives and one take on contacting HR pros on social media.

iStockphoto

iStockphoto

As second nature as social media is to some, it is still new territory for others.

HR professionals are on LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook as individuals and on behalf of their organizations.  The job seeking public is developing profiles, joining groups and liking pages in an effort to connect with these HR pros and their companies in the hopes that the two will meet for a mutually beneficial outcome.

I was asked to comment on proper etiquette for contacting HR professionals through social media, all of my chatter came down to this: be respectful of yourself and others at all times. Some of the questions and quick-shot answers are below:

Is it acceptable to contact an HR professional through LinkedIn or Twitter? What about Facebook?

Yes. Take a look at their LinkedIn or Twitter profile. If their profile is private or they request not to be contacted, honor that. Many utilize Facebook for their recruitment efforts - others do not. Hot tip: do not weave a tangled web of friends to try to gain access to an HR professional with a private profile.

When contacting HR reps, ensure your state who you are, why you are contacting them and what information you are  seeking. Don't underestimate the value of this first  impression.

Is it wise to link your personal social media accounts or blogs to LinkedIn?

Importing your blog into LinkedIn is a powerful way to engage a wider audience. Think through the content  you are importing into LinkedIn. Do your personal social media accounts present a  professional image? Do they support your professional goals? What are your objectives?

I choose not to import the content  into LinkedIn profile on a regular basis. Facebook pictures of my  daughter swimming 50m fly would be of little  professional value to my network.

How should you manage your image on your blog to not offend potential employers

Be accountable for what you say and how you  say it. Some employers are looking up candidates on social networking sites and may think twice about hiring someone with something perceived as negative  in their profile. Why? Your on-line actions can say alot about how you conduct yourself in real life.

Highlight your skills, your experiences, your ideas and your challenges. Don't be afraid to offer points of view and challenge assumptions - professionally.

What would you add? What words of wisdom would you offer to someone looking to manage their online image to land a great job?