Wayne Denner an influential speaker, author and expert in Online Reputation and Wellbeing. Wayne’s message was to learn to protect and improve your personal digital presence. He set up Ireland’s First Social Network platform in the early noughties before Facebook, Twitter, Myspace, and Bebo. Wayne is an Entrepreneur, Educator and Trainer, he is known for his engaging approach with young people and businesses.
Wayne has over 18 years’ experience in the digital space, he is a self-confessed Digital Ninja. Working with professionals around the globe and delivering the Online Reputation Matters Program in schools and with businesses and organisations in Ireland, the UK and the UAE.
The Digital Ninja advised the students and lectures during a talk at Omagh South West College to “generate positive content on social media, you never know when an old post will come back to haunt you”. He shared a number of examples of how people have lost their jobs due to posting things online, “Use social media, but use it to your advantage and use it wisely”. What does your digital reputation look like? Wayne has developed an app to scan your social media accounts and generate an overview of how you appear on social media, ‘Rep-selfie’ which will be available by the end of September. This could be a valuable app to have to help control you social media outlook.
A surprisingly high number of 93% of employers look potential candidates up online before asking them for an interview, with 67% of employers removing candidates from the application process who have negative online posts. The content on your personal social media account can affect more than you may think, including future new job prospects. Your online reputation is like a currency Wayne said, it gives you opportunities if you use it to our advantage. Employers do not want to risk employing a candidate who may damage the businesses reputation.
A social media account is a very powerful tool; it can be manipulated to create a fantastic wonderful social life or be a clever use of your interests and capabilities to impress potential employers. Of course you need to be honest to certain degree but using social media as a valuable tool to impress businesses rather than your friends with relevant and consistent content that will set you aside from others who are simply impressing friends with exaggerated posts and pictures of their daily life. Wayne’s moto is ‘generate positive content’ this will enable you to have better opportunities in your working life.
Media contact
For further information or to arrange an interview contact:
Elaine Hawkes – South West College PR Officer
E-Mail elaine.hawkes@swc.ac.uk