Skip to main content

SSSC 23 Things Digital – Thing 13: Professional networks

I have previous experience using LinkedIn prior to working in early learning and childcare. I used it to create a profile for my online blog so I could connect with other bloggers and any companies who might want to work with me on parenting and childcare ad campaigns. I found it very straightforward to set up and edit my profile as well as creating groups of people to connect with. I never used it to search or apply for jobs. 

I used the basic profile package however I am aware you can set up a professional profile package at a cost to access more content. I like that is it similar to Facebook however it has a focus of professional persons/organisations so you're likely to get much more specific and tailored content than Facebook. 

I haven't used it to apply for jobs nor have I really accessed it since I started working in early years. Because I work for the local authority, they use MyJobScotland to advertise posts and there is an application form to complete when you apply for a post which automatically stores all your personal information and details of experience, previous employment etc. 

I think LinkedIn is a great platform for professionals to register with and share practice and experience with people in similar fields of work. However it's not something I would personally use because within my authority we have our own professional networks for sharing information and practice. 

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

SSSC 23 Things Digital Thing 4 - Digital Footprint

Firstly I watched the video Orange Digital Dirt and I found it very interesting and something I have a great deal of knowledge on due to working in a management position and being involved in recruitment and selection of new staff. I feel it's really important for employees to be aware of what they post online because if a service users were to access this, it could damage the reputation and trust they have built up when working with the service user.  I did a search for myself in my home town and through my work place and nothing out of the ordinary came up. Again, because I have a great understanding of what can be found online, I am very conscious about what I post and where I post. I make sure all my accounts are private and I don't accept friend requests from people I don't know or may know through association.  The 8 Tips to Effectively Manage Your Digital Footprint is a really useful tool to use to check up on social media and digital accounts such as email, online b...

My 23 Things Leadership Journey - Introduction

During the COVID-19 closure, I have spent a lot of time reading, completing training courses and working my through the SSSC Open Badges. When I found the 23 Things Leadership, I was interested to take part to broaden my knowledge and attempt to complete the 23 Things before I returned to work. I knew it would help develop my skills of reflection and gaining feedback from others.  Blogging is not an unfamiliar concept to me. I wrote a parenting blog for a number of years and enjoyed the interaction I got from readers and meeting people who were in a similar position to me; trying to juggle work, a home, babies and everything in-between. I gave it up when I started working full time as it was so time consuming. However the things I enjoyed about blogging haven't gone away and, in every day working life, sharing practice with other professionals is hugely important in improving outcomes for our service users. Working in a leadership role, I'm continually trying to develop my know...

SSSC 23 Things Digital – Thing 15: Video chat and webinars

In practice, I hadn't used any form of video chat until the COVID-19 closure. We started using ZOOM to hold staff meetings however due to security concerns that anyone could access these meetings, our authority put a ban on ZOOM being used by staff. Instead I have been using the Microsoft Teams video chat available through my GLOW login. This is a much more secure platform as staff need to use their GLOW logins to access Microsoft Teams.  I have found using video chat very easy and very useful to get the same information across to staff at the same time without us being able to be together. I also found it useful that you can record the chat and then staff can look at it again if they feel they need to refresh themselves. As an authority, we were also using these to conduct team around the child meetings which were essential to continue to share information and provide support to children and families.  I have also used webinars to participate in my university lectures as I ha...