Privacy, Branding, & Virtual Responsibilities

What should you consider?

These guidelines will help you decide if and how to used branded information in your own portfolio as well as direct your students to make wise choices regarding branded material. The cases can be used to assess your own or your students' understanding of specific uses of branded material.

Privacy Issues

Since many sites allow various levels of privacy options, consider which level of access you want for your portfolio. The default is usually set for viewing and editing by only the owner (i.e., you). Therefore, if you want others to see your portfolio, you must "share" it or change the privacy level. You can also differentiate access to different sections of your portfolio. For example, you can choose to restrict access of a resume stored in your Google Drive to only the people you share it with. Or, you can choose to hide the page so it is not visible in the navigation menu until you are ready.

Google Drive visibility options:

    • Public on the web. Anyone on the Internet can find and access. No sign-in required.

    • Anyone with the link. Anyone who has the link can access. No sign-in required.

    • Private. Only people explicitly granted permission can access. Sign-in required.

Tips

    • Using Google Drive to store and edit your documents will allow you to update documents, such as your resume, as needed (without having to upload a new document with each update).

    • Remember to select the appropriate privacy settings for your documents. See "Share your document" tab (upper right) to change the privacy settings. The default setting is private, so only you can see your document if you don't change the settings.

Source: Office of the Victorian Privacy Commissioner. "It's Your Privacy. Don't Ignore It." Retrieved 11 Jan. 2013.

Branding Guidelines

When, where, and how may you use Texas A&M University logos and other branded items? While the exact criteria for use in your e-folio depends on a number of factors, consider these guidelines recommended by a TAMU Communications consultant:

    1. If you are employed by the university or represent the university professionally (such in the role of a consultant), you may use TAMU branded logos in a prominent place of the material you present, including the header of a web site or slideshow.

    2. If you are a student, you should not use the logo in a prominent place, such as the header, if you are not representing the university in an official capacity, such as in your personal portfolio.

    3. If you are a student representing the university in an official capacity (as a TAMU student leader, for example), you may display the logo in a prominent place, such as the header of a presentation or on the website created for your TAMU-recognized organization.

In sum, if you are benefitting professionally, personally, or financially, and do not represent the university in an official capacity, you should not prominently display any TAMU logos in your presentation materials (websites, slideshows, etc). However, you may use a TAMU branded image or logo in your materials in the body if your use of them is to point to the university.

See branding cases for further clarification.

For more details about branding guidelines, including templates, logos, and other issues, please see TAMU Branding Guidelines.

Virtual Responsibilities

Your virtual representation must be professional, honest, and self-explanatory (especially if your site is public and you are using it to "market" yourself for job). Remember that your site may be someone's first impression of you. Does it represent you in the best way possible? Does it include anything that might be misinterpreted or that might misrepresent your credentials? Does it reveal private information or anything you would prefer that someone else not know?

  • Disclose information judiciously for online publication.

      • Choose a site name and address carefully depending on how much visibility you want the site to have. If you want to use the site to market your credentials (increasing your networking visibility), you may want to use your name in the title and address so that you are virtually searchable. If you prefer more privacy, choose a "handle" that does not directly link to you. Most web platforms allow for different levels of privacy for sites and individual pages, but you ultimately control what people see. Therefore, act strategically and wisely.

      • Complete your profile conservatively. Include only the information you would not mind a potential employer or anyone else seeing.

      • Use privacy settings to control the traffic to your professional page.

    • Edit your work. Write and revise your pages according to the highest writing standards in the areas of paragraph development (including topic sentences, cohesion and coherence), style, tone, and grammar, punctuation, and usage. Proofread your work carefully for errors and clarity. Remember your page represents your communication credentials as well as your ability to pay attention to detail.

    • Use document design and graphics. Use the wysiwyg tools (what you see is what you get) located on the toolbar to make your entries attractive AND to direct your reader’s attention to the most important points. Include graphics that balance text with visual information. Check the size and placement for visual effectiveness (your graphics should not overwhelm the page, but complement the message). Use Creative Commons images or cite the sources of images you use.

    • Develop each point clearly, succinctly, and comprehensively. Remember that your reader must be able to understand your message from what you have written (you won't be able to clarify your points until you are contacted). Therefore, your writing must be self-explanatory, but it does not have to provide everything he/she needs to know about you. Be clear, concise, and credible.

    • Revise for final review. Seek feedback on your portfolio through peer review and repeated proofreading and editing. Continue to maintain current information.