Hi! My name is Tara Young and I have created this blog because it is mandatory for my online PR class at Centennial College.
I have to admit that I approach the concept of blogging with some hesitancy. I have been instructed of all the benefits of blogging, especially in Public Relations, and the success stories of bloggers excelling in the field. However, I have been dogged by one giant fear, the fear of having my ideas and convictions posted on the internet for all to see.
My professor expresses the importance of creating an online presence, so that we can begin to make a name for ourselves in the industry. He has warned that possible employers may Google us, looking at our Facebook accounts, del.icio.us sites and blogs. For the sake of my privacy, I have gone out my way to keep Facebook account and the like private. A blog, though, is out there to be accessed by anybody.
The fact of the matter is that I really don’t like the prospect of being prejudged. When I meet a peer for the first time or walk into a job interview, I really don’t want that person to have preconceived perception of who I am, based on a few blog postings. I want them to meet me with an open mind and determine based on person to person contact what they think of me.
I have weighed the pros and cons and as you have probably figured out by now I’ve decided to blog. When it came down to it, the prospect of failing my Online PR class and ultimately the program is much more detrimental to my career than the possibility of a little prejudgement.
