Online Ambition

Online AmbitionOnline Ambition is a great project run by Edinburgh Napier University, brought to my attention by the comment that Ella Taylor-Smith left on another post.

The aim of the project is to bring together young people, their parents and advisors to discuss using the web to enhance careers, rather than hinder them!

This will involve a range of different issues, such as digital CVs, using social media for profile and reputation building, and managing online profiles to ensure potential employers don’t get the wrong idea about you.

I can personally vouch for the effectiveness of using online networks to develop a career. If it weren’t for this blog, I’d still be stuck doing an administrative job in a council somewhere.

The first event is on April 11th in Edinburgh, with Ella and her colleagues, as well as Tim Davies. Here’s the flyer (PDF warning).

It will be great to see how the event goes, and this is something I can see being very successful across the UK.

Bookmarks for July 28th through August 5th

I find this stuff so that you don’t have to.

You can find all my bookmarks on Delicious. There is also even more stuff on my shared Google Reader page.

You can also see all the videos I think are worth watching at my video scrapbook.

DavePress inc.

I’ve finally done it.

Today I handed in my notice at work, and once that period is up, I will be freelancing: peddling my social media wares to anyone that will have them. Actually, that isn’t strictly true. Here’s some of the stuff I hope to be doing:

  • Strategy – helping organisations figure out exactly what they ought to be doing with the web to achieve their goals, using workshops, games, demonstrations and other fun stuff – and blending that approach with offline activities
  • Training – to teams, groups, and individuals on how to use social media tools, whether it is setting up a wiki for a collaboration project or starting up a blog
  • Content creation – I can be a blogger for hire, or help produce video and audio content for online distribution
  • Building stuff – I’m a dab hand at putting sites together with WordPress, have a fair bit of Drupal experience, and if I can’t do something I generally know someone who can

If you, or someone you know, is interested in any of the above do get in touch – I am happy to work contracts or short term little projects.. I’ve a few bits up my sleeve already, but the more the merrier for me, quite frankly!

I’m going to be getting as much work as I can through this blog, as it is certainly the best means available to me to be able to reach the people who might be interested in giving me money. Also, if people read the blog they know what they are going to be getting: enthusiasm, a can-do attitude and a real desire to help people make sense of how the web can help them.

Now starts the fun stuff of setting up a company and getting my head around tax and stuff. Thank God Mrs Briggs has offered to help with the admin.