Dos and Don'ts

Recently in my electronic communication class we have been discussing Facebook and Myspace and how they can be negative instead of positive. I ran upon an article http://www.cnn.com/2008/LIVING/worklife/11/05/cb.social.networking/index.html#cnnSTCText. This article discusses all the Do’s and Don’ts of social networking. It states that twenty-two percent of employers say they use social networks such as Facebook, Linkedin, and Brightfuse. Yet, only sixteen percent of workers have modified their profiles with possible employers in mind. An executive director of human resources at Resource Interactive said “We can learn a little more about a candidate’s culture and professionalism”. Some of the top reasons for dismissal from a company due to information found on social networks were drinking and or drug use and inappropriate pictures. The next top reasons were evidence of poor communication skill, negative comments about a former employer and lies about qualifications.


The dos and don’ts that this article suggests regarding social networking are: Do update your profile regularly. Employers like to see top-notch passive job applicants, says Patrice-Anne Rutledge, author of "The Truth About Profiting from Social Networking. Do join groups, but selectively. Don’t join silly groups that potentially can be harmful to your career. And do be on the offense. Make sure you watch what pictures you upload or personal information that has been disclosed on a blog or other sites. Some don’ts are don’t mention your job search if you are still employed, don’t badmouth current or previous employers, and don’t forget that others can see your friends.


I think this article is very beneficial because there is nothing worse than knowing that you did not receive a job based on what you displayed on your Facebook. It’s an eye opener, it make people more conscious of what is being placed on their profiles. I personally always watch everything I say and place on my Facebook profile because I do not want to portray a negative image. I believe that your character is vital in consideration for jobs, so it’s in anyone’s best interest to steer clear of anything that punches holes in their credibility and character. Social networks are now becoming determining factors for people’s futures.

Key Word: Personalize

I would like to begin this blog by saying that in my opinion, there is nothing better than a note, postcard, or letter that is personalized or handwritten. This lets me know that time and thought was put into it, however, I’m not saying there’s anything wrong with an email either. But by me saying this, it leads me to an article that I read http://mashable.com/2008/11/03/touchnote/ that talked about Touchnote.com and how it makes the internet more personal. On Touchnote you can create personalized emails, customize cards, and after you have created the personalize item you have the option of either just sending to your loved one or sending it to yourself for a real signature. The latest idea that was recreated on Touchnote is making personalized postcards.


I think this is a nice approach in trying to make the CMC more personal because the internet now a day moves people more and more away from personalization and physical interaction. CMC has become a primary consumer of time. Everything is being done within seconds, and seems like it takes less of an effort. This goes right along with what has been discussed from day one in my electronic communications class. Computers and the internet have become the replacement walking to a mailbox and mailing something, picking up the phone and calling someone, writing letters, and even shopping!


Me personally, I believe that anything handwritten is more thoughtful. I feel that someone sitting down picking up a pen, which is unusual these days, and jotted down feelings on paper, is barely surviving when it’s in competition with a computer. I’m not going to lie I would be a little upset if I received a typed love letter as opposed to a written one, but again that’s me. Words are best expressed on paper, not on a computer screen. I love having the ability to cherish a letter or card, rather than saving it on a computer, because it only takes one time for a computer to crash and there goes that email or electronic card. I applaud Touchnote for there progression towards trying to make the internet more personalized, but even so I would actually like to “touch my note”.

You're Never Too Old

First, I would like to say that you are never too old to find love. Secondly, I would like to say that you are never too old to find love on the internet. I read an article on http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27400087/ that stated that an 81 year old Chinese man named Wu met now 58 year old wife, online. They married three days after meeting in person for the first time. He saw her picture on an online matchmaking website and knew that she was the one for him. He says “The Internet doesn’t belong to the young alone”. He said that he had been using the internet since 1998.


This is a very interesting story because this shows online relationship formations gone “right”. There are always speculations and skepticism when it comes to meeting a mate online. There’s always the thought of if this person really is who they say they are or do they really look like this. It becomes the question of someone’s true self. But in this man’s case, his possible leeriness did not stop him from finding his true love. This also shows how positive online relationship formations can be because when physical contact and face to face conversation is not an option, you can really dig deep into somebody without physical attractiveness getting in the way of the attractiveness of their heart.


This article can relate back to the article called “The Psychology of Cyberspace” http://www-usr.rider.edu/~suler/psycyber/showdown.html In this article it is stated that some people believe that they are more directly encountering the person’s heart, mind, and soul when they are not being distracted by appearance. It also states that physical presence is necessary in communication and intimacy which is why people feel they need to meet that person face to face before making any permanent decisions about their relationship. I personally think that online relationships can succeed and have a happy ending like Wu and his bride, because I believe there is a deeper connection when there’s less distractions. And there is someone for everybody regardless of how old you are or how you meet them.