Now that you have a couple of pages posted to your portfolios, it’s time to join the conversation on the ‘Net. In the current Web 2.0 environment, it’s no longer enough to have a static web site — you must allow for users to participate on your web site, and you must do the same on theirs. Only by actively participating do you becaome a dominant voice in a crowded network.
The first way of being noticed is by keeping a blog. Contrary to popular experience with blogs, you will not be keeping a diary online. This is your professional portfolio, so anything you post must (or really should) address your profession in some way. Your blog should focus mostly on your original content, but it will also include commentary about and links to others’ blogs and news sites in your field. This will require you to (1) be a professional voice in your field, and (2) know what’s going on in your field.
Begin by setting up a “blogroll” in the sidebar of your portfolio. In WordPress, select “Add New” under “Links.” WP gives you a pretty elegant way to add and organize your links based on keywords, or categories. Who are the major voices in your profession? You should be reading them everyday. By linking them off of your portfolio, you indicate the people that inspire you. Their sites will point to other folks that you should also be reading. Don’t be afraid to revise your blogroll from time to time. It should reflect your current professional interests.
It should be clear now as to what I mean by “conversation.” Not only should you read the folks in your blogroll, but you should begin thoughtfully commenting on their blogs. When you leave a comment, you should be sure to include the URL back to your portfolio, so the blogger can visit your site and leave a comment. Thus, you begin a professional conversation about the subjects that matter the most in your discipline.
Another way to converse is by linking to another’s story and commenting about it in more detail with a blog entry of your own. When you do this, WP will automatically “ping” the entry you are linking to and add a comment. This is called a “trackback.” Be sure you have these enabled on your blog.
When adding to the conversation in this way, never be rude. I know that in our current political climate, people have a tendency to fly off the handle at something they disagree with. This is called “flaming” in Internet parlance, and it usually accomplishes nothing but hurt feelings and animosity. Be positive and thoughtful on your blog. You can be critical of an idea, but you do not have to me immature or mean about addressing it. Remember: your portfolio is a reflection of your professional self; you don’t want a potential employer to see your flame wars. This will send the wrong message, and you’ll never get a job.
You should post an entry to your blog at least once a week from now until the end of the semester. I would do more. In fact, if you share similar interests with your colleagues in the class, you should begin conversing with each other online. This is all about participating in a network. Do your best to be a positive and influential voice.
