My LinkedIn Profile is flawless, now what?

Congratulations on completing your LinkedIn profile! You have your most important courses listed, a handful of recommendations and your page is overflowing with endorsements. Is one business networking site enough? The answer depends on which field  you hope to enter after graduation. For the majority of students a LinkedIn profile is a great first step in professional networking. Other kinds of professions might encourage additional types of online portfolios. A few of which will be featured here.  All of these tools are free to join and easy to maintain.

Remember- A portfolio that is out of date is often worse than no portfolio at all.

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Github is a social coding website which encourages programers and developers to to create and share programs and code. Github is also a great resource for the community to seek help from other programers who can answer questions on the issues their peers may have encountered. A Github account is essential for those wishing to enter the tech field. With over four million users, Github has resources for every conceivable type of coding. Many startups search Github for successful pieces of code and its authors. While you might not get an automatic job offer, Github is a essential piece of a tech CV.

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Another great resource for technology online portfolios is Stack Overflow which functions as a question and answer site for professional and developing programmers. A strong profile on Stack Overflow will not only showcase your work but also show that you are a positive member of a community who enjoys supporting others as well as seeking help for your own projects.

carbon

A great resource for those who don’t know the difference between Java, Javascript and a cup of joe is Carbonmade. Carbonmade is a free to use and code free zone with kooky graphics and is packed full of features. Carbonmade encourages employers to search their databases of talent which feature photographers, graphic designers, interior designers, jewelry makers, copywriters and so much more! Be sure to check out some of their amazing featured portfolios to get your creative juices flowing.

edmodo

The world of social media contains more land mines for some professions than others. Educators need to be extra careful of what they post and do online as they are often expected to be role models for youth within the  community. Despite the extra critical lens of attention, educators still desire a social network that they can use to connect with other teachers and share resources. Edmodo is a social media site designed for teachers to interact with students in a safe space. It currently is connecting over 33 million teachers and students with educational resources and assessment tools. Keep in mind that Edmodo is hosted on servers within the United States and therefore should never be used to host Canadian student data.

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Online profile tools are much more difficult to find for STEM fields. Many aspiring engineers and scientists choose to create their own websites with their portfolios, resumes and contact information.  UBC provides free hosting for all current UBC students who wish to create an fully functional WordPress site.  Not a student? Wix and SquareSpace both ofter free templates and hosting. No matter what path you want to pursue in your career, having a up-to-date, well designed online profile will help you stand out.

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