Marketing Yourself

[Dr.Sticks]

Okay so I read about @avgn saying business cards are a great tool to get more opportunity;
So I was thinking why not just create a full blow portfolio/online website?
ex:johndoe.com
Do you think a personal website with your portfolio, about, and maybe a blog is a great tool to gain more opportunity as a college student?
Or is this over the top, and ridiculous? I know that people focused on the computer field/design have their own personal website. I also have read of colleges that require students to develop a professional online portfolio..
So I thought, well l want some kickass research opportunity, and once in a lifetime volunteer opportunity, a website might help..
Hand em' your business card that has your website on it.. Maybe it'll aid your case?

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Members don't see this ad.

 

[gannicus89]

I think this is over the top. If someone wants to know more about you, they can request your resume. Or you can offer it. A business card... lol. What would it say? "Aspiring medical school student"? Usually people have their name on it, contact info, and what they do (which is usually related directly to what kind of opportunity they are seeking). You might be interested in creating a LinkedIn profile, though again, the assumption is you actually have material that is worth being put on there.

 

[Doudline]

Useless and cringy. Both the online portfolio and business card.
Leave those to professionals.

 

[starlite911]

My school made us (all pre-meds) create e-portfolios...

...I will take the link with me to my grave.

 

[BurghMed]

I think it's over the top. Having your experiences on a résumé to send out is more than enough.

 

[NotASerialKiller]

@avgn Look what you started!

 

[Strigon]

From the business major standpoint - At least create a LinkedIn. Make sure there's material that's worth having on there, as @gannicus89 stated. We've seen that not having a LinkedIn in some situations raises a red flag for recruiters and employers. They could think that an individual is either trying to hide something or is antiquated compared to the modern era of professional social media. For me, LinkedIn is an opportunity to have some control over what comes up when my name is searched, allowing me to put forward a professional face to the name.

I maintain my LinkedIn because it keeps me connected to my business school and classmates, which can ultimately generate new opportunities once I and my cohort of business majors become well entrenched in our careers.

As for the personal website - There's new free services that are being created (Handle, for example) that takes the work out of creating a new website. Handle generates a single account name like [Strigon] which then can be linked to all my social media platforms, email address, etc. It streamlines the process considerably.

 

[StudyLater]

Okay so I read about @avgn saying business cards are a great tool to get more opportunity;
So I was thinking why not just create a full blow portfolio/online website?
ex:johndoe.com
Do you think a personal website with your portfolio, about, and maybe a blog is a great tool to gain more opportunity as a college student?
Or is this over the top, and ridiculous? I know that people focused on the computer field/design have their own personal website. I also have read of colleges that require students to develop a professional online portfolio..
So I thought, well l want some kickass research opportunity, and once in a lifetime volunteer opportunity, a website might help..
Hand em' your business card that has your website on it.. Maybe it'll aid your case?

Like an actor?

I don't know. What kind of **** could you possibly have on your portfolio that can't just be written out? It's more understandable for actors/artists/musicians/models/directors etc. to do this because they've actually got to have what is more commonly referred to as a portfolio (seems you were thinking more resume, not portfolio) -- a compilation of their artistic endeavors which can't simply be communicated through writing. They need to display their art through their website to actually show the full picture of what they've accomplished.

Unless you have like a video/photographic portfolio or something related to the things you've done, I don't think this is necessary.

However, I will say I've seen guys in top business schools do this with some degree of success. But again, some kind of imagery there is definitely necessary, or you may end up just rewriting your resume in web page form.

 

[StudyLater]

To OP: just because @avgn, a guy who got interviews to Harvard and Yale (congrats btw) posted that he gave out business cards as a premed and it worked out successfully for him, doesn't all of a sudden mean that you should try and jump aboard the train to make it the norm. That's like the equivalent of some Caribbean grad talking about how he matched into ortho, and ergo everybody should apply to the Caribbean.

It's definitely not the norm. It could help, but it's not needed. Therefore, OP should just do as he sees fit. But whatever he does, he should not half-a*s it. That'd be much worse than never doing anything at all.

And oh my god if I ever saw a premed with his own website I would die laughing. That's the most hilarious and absurd thing I've ever heard in my entire life. "Hello my name is John Doe, aspiring pediatricneurocardiothoracicinterventionalradiosurgeon, welcome to my website!!!! Plz email me if wanting to know more!!!"

I could definitely see it being funny if it was just some bullsh*t thing thrown together. But I could see this potentially adding to the professionalism of the candidate if he actually does it right.

 

[Dr.Sticks]

To OP: just because @avgn, a guy who got interviews to Harvard and Yale (congrats btw) posted that he gave out business cards as a premed and it worked out successfully for him, doesn't all of a sudden mean that you should try and jump aboard the train to make it the norm. That's like the equivalent of some Caribbean grad talking about how he matched into ortho, and ergo everybody should apply to the Caribbean.

And oh my god if I ever saw a premed with his own website I would die laughing. That's the most hilarious and absurd thing I've ever heard in my entire life. "Hello my name is John Doe, aspiring pediatricneurocardiothoracicinterventionalradiosurgeon, welcome to my website!!!! Plz email me if wanting to know more!!!"

Well not that I am gonna do it, I was just thinking if you got a business card why not just go all the way?

As for the portfolio well I'm a web developer too, but that has nothing to do with pre-med.. Yeah it'd look really ******ed if you had a website like that.. Then again if you pull it off, you got a lot of balls. That has to be impressive?
Confidence gets you women, success, and happiness. That's the saying anyways.. Of course I don't ever see anyone getting a hookup by handing out a business card.. Unless it's that secretary fetish thing..

Anyways.. If I did create a website it'd look extremely professional since I'm a skilled web designer/developer I also have basic knowledge of PHP/SQL. I probably would get more job offers for designing websites haha...

 

[Mad Jack]

Premed business cards?

 

[Mad Jack]

As to a premed website, nothing screams "I think I'm a special snowflake" like a personalized site for someone that has effectively done very little with their life thusfar.

 

[Dr.Sticks]

Yeah.. if you built a website I wouldn't make it scream pre-med

Rather it should be a professional photo of you, a brief bio, your work experience, your academic interests, and a blog showing your interests, hobbies, what causes you're passionate about, etc..
I wouldn't mention anywhere you are interested in medical school.. I wouldn't even hint towards it..

 

[Dr.Sticks]

Why did this need a separate thread?

Because this would have been way off topic, and went away from the original question...
I didn't want to hijack someones thread

 

[md-2020]

C'mon everyone let's consider this for one second: making a website about yourself is completely ridiculous.

 

[StudyLater]

C'mon everyone let's consider this for one second: making a website about yourself is completely ridiculous.

Yeah but...if I'm this awesome, it's kind of hard not to show the whole world how much they should appreciate me.

 

[StudyLater]

I didn't want to hijack someones thread

We are soooo past that on this board, by now.

 

[Dr.Sticks]

Yeah but...if I'm this awesome, it's kind of hard not to show the whole world how much they should appreciate me.

Unless you're a job seeker;
I can actually see it as being very beneficial for people in design, IT, business, etc..
http://www.forbes.com/sites/jacquel...-personal-website-and-what-it-should-include/

For a pre-med? Yeah most likely ridiculous.

 

[Mad Jack]

From the business major standpoint - At least create a LinkedIn. Make sure there's material that's worth having on there, as @gannicus89 stated. We've seen that not having a LinkedIn in some situations raises a red flag for recruiters and employers. They could think that an individual is either trying to hide something or is antiquated compared to the modern era of professional social media. For me, LinkedIn is an opportunity to have some control over what comes up when my name is searched, allowing me to put forward a professional face to the name.

I maintain my LinkedIn because it keeps me connected to my business school and classmates, which can ultimately generate new opportunities once I and my cohort of business majors become well entrenched in our careers.

As for the personal website - There's new free services that are being created (Handle, for example) that takes the work out of creating a new website. Handle generates a single account name like [Strigon] which then can be linked to all my social media platforms, email address, etc. It streamlines the process considerably.

The medical field is quite unlike the business world. LinkedIn is pretty unnecessary, and not having one is certainly not a red flag. I mean, many physicians are still fighting EMR tooth and nail- medicine is largely occupied by the less-than-tech savvy, and generally people within it have better things to do with their time than maintain some online presence. Unlike the business world, there's real work to be done, leaving little time for building your own personal hype train.

 

[StudyLater]

Unless you're a job seeker;
I can actually see it as being very beneficial for people in design, IT, business, etc..
http://www.forbes.com/sites/jacquel...-personal-website-and-what-it-should-include/

For a pre-med? Yeah most likely ridiculous.

Yeah. There's gotta be things that you could only show, or that you could show much better, with a website.

 

[StudyLater]

As to a premed website, nothing screams "I think I'm a special snowflake" like a personalized site for someone that has effectively done very little with their life thusfar.

 

[Mad Jack]

Unless you're a job seeker;
I can actually see it as being very beneficial for people in design, IT, business, etc..
http://www.forbes.com/sites/jacquel...-personal-website-and-what-it-should-include/

For a pre-med? Yeah most likely ridiculous.

This is very field dependent. In medicine, people aren't big on such nonsense, and the competition for jobs is largely based on your very real credentials rather than the fluff you post on the internet. Your internet presence can hurt you, but very, very rarely will it help you.

 

[Dr.Sticks]

The medical field is quite unlike the business world. LinkedIn is pretty unnecessary, and not having one is certainly not a red flag. I mean, many physicians are still fighting EMR tooth and nail- medicine is largely occupied by the less-than-tech savvy, and generally people within it have better things to do with their time than maintain some online presence. Unlike the business world, there's real work to be done, leaving little time for building your own personal hype train.

the hopkins neurosurgery chair has a linkedin
https://www.linkedin.com/pub/henry-brem-m-d/53/74a/703

*not even sure why I'm mentioning it, he is a freaking chair at arguably the best hospital for neurosurgery and most of us here are lowly pre-meds lol*

 

[StudyLater]

I want that meme to be on your door before I walk in to interview with you, @Goro

 

[Mad Jack]

the hopkins neurosurgery chair has a linkedin
https://www.linkedin.com/pub/henry-brem-m-d/53/74a/703

*not even sure why I'm mentioning it, he is a freaking chair at arguably the best hospital for neurosurgery and most of us here are lowly pre-meds lol*

n=1

I'd be surprised if 30% of academic physicians have LinkedIn profiles, and the majority of them that do probably only have them so they can keep in touch with the executive side of things at their hospitals.

 

[NorthOfBroad]

I had to make an e-portfolio for an English class, I have tried to hide it ever since

 

[StudyLater]

I had to make an e-portfolio for an English class, I have tried to hide it ever since

Same!!!

Was so lame.

 

[Strigon]

The medical field is quite unlike the business world. LinkedIn is pretty unnecessary, and not having one is certainly not a red flag. I mean, many physicians are still fighting EMR tooth and nail- medicine is largely occupied by the less-than-tech savvy, and generally people within it have better things to do with their time than maintain some online presence. Unlike the business world, there's real work to be done, leaving little time for building your own personal hype train.

Those are good points. Some of business is centered around self-advertisement, which really should be a distant concern for healthcare professionals both current and aspiring. It becomes a little more important only when physicians enter upper echelons of organizations.

 

[Dr.Sticks]

I found a Mass General resident
https://www.linkedin.com/profile/vi...me&authToken=cjSE&trk=prof-sb-browse_map-name
and a Hopkins resident
https://www.linkedin.com/profile/vi...me&authToken=VwOP&trk=prof-sb-browse_map-name

I guess Linkedin has *some* importance; However it shouldn't be a concern for a pre-med like me.. lol
I'm pretty sure it's only something Residents make so they can get a very nice job as an attending or something..

 

[Goro]

I ignore anything related to LinkedIn, even posts from my wife!

I want that meme to be on your door before I walk in to interview with you, @Goro

 

[avgn]

Oops

 

[Dr.Sticks]

Oops

Well in your defense I just take things way overboard..
You guys would think I'm mentally insane if you heard some of my crazy ideas.. Like building a city..(not too crazy, but the details.. lol not gonna get into it)

 

[avgn]

OP, do not do this unless you have substantial accomplishments in a non-academic, non-medical field. This is unlikely to apply to you since you are two weeks into your freshman year. Don't jump onto the marketing boat with nothing to market. That's only gonna result in embarrassment.

Many humanities/social sciences PhD candidates/graduates who are on the job market or trying to make a name for themselves in their research field maintain a simple WordPress site with their CV, research interests, and recent papers. That's one of the few reasons anyone below the age of 30 should have their own website. For everything else, there's LinkedIn (which is important to maintain for almost every single field out there, EXCEPT academia and medicine).

 

[Strigon]

Well in your defense I just take things way overboard..
You guys would think I'm mentally insane if you heard some of my crazy ideas.. Like building a city..(not too crazy, but the details.. lol not gonna get into it)

Crazy ideas... Don't get me too excited, otherwise I'll start trying to recruit you to my business school! We like crazy ideas!

 

[Cyberdyne 101]

Well in your defense I just take things way overboard..
You guys would think I'm mentally insane if you heard some of my crazy ideas.. Like building a city..(not too crazy, but the details.. lol not gonna get into it)

I think you're on the right track. Apply to med school after you've stabilized Iraq and Syria.

 

[Strigon]

I think you're on the right track. Apply to med school after you've stabilized Iraq and Syria.

And singlehandely stabilized the European economy.

 

[Easonred57]

I have a LinkedIn for networking within the research community and finding job opportunities. If they really want to see it that badly they can Google my name (I've actually gotten some profile hits from med school admissions officers in the last few months). That being said, it's not really necessary.

 

[Dr.Sticks]

Crazy ideas... Don't get me too excited, otherwise I'll start trying to recruit you to my business school! We like crazy ideas!

If I graduate early I'm totally open to a 1 year MBA before med school lol
I probably will try to do 1 year masters in biology though, and mean serve with Americorps or the Peace Corp.. Interested in that

 

[avgn]

I have a LinkedIn for networking within the research community and finding job opportunities. If they really want to see it that badly they can Google my name (I've actually gotten some profile hits from med school admissions officers in the last few months). That being said, it's not really necessary.

Are you a Premium member? How you know they adcoms
Or do you assume that faculty member at X University is an adcom

 

[Easonred57]

Are you a Premium member? How you know they adcoms
Or do you assume that faculty member at X University is an adcom

I typically assume that if a faculty member from a school of medicine with zero connections looks at my profile, and I recently submitted an application to that school of medicine, they googled my name. Could just be a byproduct of searching for the publications I listed, but some of them explicitly say they work in admissions on the profile.

 

[yeezuswest]

I have LinkedIn, a personal website, tumblr blog, all social media, etc. But that's just because I'm weird and really into that stuff and make them when I'm bored lol. I don't remember the last time I updated/used any of them other than like the few times I check Facebook. Email and twitter are by far what I use most.