Getting Linked In

I’m finding that some of you are having trouble linking to your Linked In profile. We had a demo in class on how to set that up, but in case you missed it, here’s how to do it:

Step 1: Sign in to Linked In, then click on “Edit Profile.”

Step 2: Look for the “Edit” link at the bottom of your profile box. Click it.

Step 3: Find your public profile URL (in the right sidebar; see notes below)

On the right side of the “edit profile” page, you’ll see a checklist followed by your public profile URL — that’s what you need to create a link to your Linked In profile. (Alternatively, click on the “create a profile badge” link to select a Linked In button for your blog.)

Step 4: Get a Linked In button (optional)

To get a Linked In button for your blog, just copy and paste the code shown. (Be sure to use “html view” if you paste it into a blog post or page.)

That’s it.

It’s a wrap

Well, almost. But you’ve still got some projects to finish before you’re done for the semester. Here’s the list:

1. Your topical blog (a.k.a. “campaign blog”) … should have at least 20 posts and at least two pages by the end of the semester, plus a selection of widgets and links (a.k.a. blogroll) in the sidebar. Links should be related to your blog topic (no default WordPress links, please). You should be using Zemanta tags on your blog posts and “read more” on longer posts. Please refer to my blog posts on your topical blog for specifics. [10 points]
2. Your personal branding/portfolio blog… should look and work like a web site, not a blog. When someone clicks on the web address, they should see some introductory information about you, your major and your career plans. You can do this in a short blog post (or two), or by using the About page and making it the default page viewed. (To do that, go to Settings > Reading in your dashboard and change the “Front page displays” setting from “blog posts” to “a static page.”) [15 points]
   • Please check out Brad Shirakawa’s sample personal branding blog; he offers some excellent advice on setting up an online portfolio. Feel free to use it as a template for your own personal branding blog. Also, please pay attention to the things Brad says NOT to do on this blog.
   • Important: Make sure the “About” page of your topical blog includes a link to your personal branding blog. If I can’t find it, I can’t grade it..
3. Reflective essay … the last thing you need to do for this class. In this 250- to 500-word essay, please reflect on what learned in this class. Here are some things you might consider discussing in your essay:
   • What project did you enjoy doing the most … and the least?
   • What project was most challenging for you, and why?
   • What project turned out to be easiest for you, and why?
   • What would you most like to learn more about … and get better at?
   • If you could do any project over, what would you do differently?
   • What advice would you give a student who hasn’t yet taken this class?
   • Please email me your essay by Monday, May 21. [3 points]

Dreamweaver demo

For the next two or three class sessions, we’ll be working with Dreamweaver to create a web page.

Here’s the link for the Dreamweaver exercise: http://www.adobe.com/devnet/dreamweaver/articles/table_to_css_pt1.html. Please download the sample files for this project. I’ll review the basics in class to get you started, then ask you to follow the directions on this page to complete this exercise. You’ll have until the end of next week to complete it. When you’ve finished it, you can preview your web page in a web browser for me.

This exercise is worth 5 points.

P.S. If this exercise turns out to be a piece of cake for you, you might want to complete the second half of this exercise. It’s worth 1 point extra credit.

Pin it

We’ve been talking about using Linked In as a networking/resume-sharing site, but you might want to consider another candidate: Pinterest.

A recent article on the NACE (National Association of Colleges and Employers) website discusses how students can use this content-sharing social media website for self-promotion.

The article quotes Thom Rakes, career center director at the University of North Carolina Wilmington, who says he sees “two ways students can use Pinterest to enhance their job-search efforts — as a tool to research potential employers and as means … to market themselves.”

What makes Pinterest so different from other social media options is that it’s “a strictly visual medium in a world of text-based job-search tools,” noted a social media manager, who suggested that college students use it to create portfolio boards featuring examples of their work.

For other suggestions on using Pinterest, read Using Pinterest as a Job Search and Branding Tool.

Consistency is key

As I reviewed your topical blogs a week or so ago, in the process of grading them for the first half of the semester, I noticed that some of you aren’t keeping up with your weekly+ blog posts.

That’s not good.

In blogging, consistency is key. You need to blog on a regular schedule — at least one new post a week — and be creative enough and disciplined enough to maintain that schedule. That’s one thing potential employers will look for. Publishing a cluster of posts, followed by gaps of time when you publish no posts, is not nearly as effective when it comes to attracting — and keeping — readers.

We’re down to the last three weeks of the semester, so you need to

Cool tools

Speaking of video and such, broadcast prof Diane Guerrazzi sent us an email from BEA 2012 (the annual Broadcast Education Association conference in Las Vegas) about a cool new FREE smartphone app for journalists. She wrote:

“I just saw an impressive demonstration about using an iPhone or an IOS device (iPod Touch, iPad) for newsgathering. It’s all through an app: Voddio.

“[It] can record video and audio, edit right in the phone, and the system can integrate into systems such as EZNews.”

Might be worth checking out at http://vericorder.com/voddio-app-of-the-week-for-journalists

Post your podcast

You’ve finished your podcast, and it’s sounding pretty good … now what? You need to find a place to host it so your friends and fans can listen to it, of course!

The bad news is that WordPress (at least the free version we’re using) doesn’t support audio uploads, unless you pay for an upgrade. Bummer!

But there are other options, including free podcast hosting sites like podbean.com, Podomatic and Soundcloud. Once you’ve uploaded your podcast to a site like Podbean, you’ll be able to put a link to your podcast on your topical blog — and complete the final step of the podcast project. It’s worth a point.

BTW, another option is to import your podcast audio track into iMovie or MovieMaker, along with a single photo in the video track. Save this project as a “video,” upload it to a video hosting site, and embed it into a blog post. Voila! Now people can listen to your podcast.

iMovie pointers

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As you continue working on your video for the video assignment, you might want to check out Brad Shirakawa’s recent video on making a simple iMovie video. (Brad teaches an evening section of MCom/APSC 63 … thanks, Brad!)

Also, be sure to check out the video & multimedia links listed on the Resources page of this blog, which includes links to tutorials on Windows MovieMaker.

When you’ve completed your video, you’ll need to export/compress it (i.e., “share”) for the web, and then upload it to YouTube or a similar video hosting site, such as Vimeo.

Once you’ve exported it, you’ll write a short blog post introducing your video for your topical blog. You can either embed your video in your blog post (the preferred method), or include a “live link” to your video in your blog post.

This assignment is worth 10 points (that’s 10% of your final grade). It’s due next Monday/Tuesday, April 23/24 (depending on your section).

Some fun videos

If you need some inspiration, check out some of the videos created by MCom63 students for this class last spring:

• Mauricio’s Getting Baked with Krista and Ashley video
• Nick’s “We Beat LA” Sharks video
• Michael’s “Who’s Your Favorite Superhero?” video
• Fernanda’s Mariachi Folklorico video
• Jeffro’s Wrawsome Dance Practice video (or here on Dailymotion.com)
• Sean’s Trick Tip #1: Flatop Fingerflip video

Video project

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For this assignment, you will shoot and edit a 2- to 4-minute video on a subject related to your topical blog.

You can use iMovie [Mac], MovieMaker [Windows], or similar video editing software to create your video. Be sure to include a title slide at the beginning of your video to introduce it, and another one at the end to list your film credits. Add transitions as needed to make your video flow smoothly. Include some audio: You may want to use music to introduce your video and to end it, as you did with your podcasts; you may also want to use background music and/or narration.

When you’re done, you’ll save your completed video for the web, and upload it to YouTube or another video service. Finally, you’ll put a link to your video (or embed it) in a blog post on your topical blog.

To prepare for this project, you will first complete a storyboard (1 point) outlining your video for the my review. (I’ve emailed you some simple storyboard templates and a sample storyboard for reference.)

(10 Points; 10% of Grade)