I first heard the word today.

Net Reps: Internet reputation, that is.

A little news video on LA Times website talked about a British guy who was hired because he had a tech blog that hit the right note with the company. The bit continues to discuss how employers search the web to find dirt on the candidates, how you should “better” your net reps by not posting your keg stand pictures etc.

I know I wrote about this once before, about how screwed I am with putting my life on the internet.

And once again, I’ll say to all of this is that whoever is going to hire me is getting ME. All of it. The quirkiness. The blogging. The Director of Fun-ness. And the slightly less than a sailor skills in swearing. In type mostly, but I do let it fly…occasionally and appropriately…as in not in front of my Chief Anybody Officers or our clients.

Unless they go first, of course. 😉

So yes. If a company is looking for a real character with endless energy and creativity (because I’m not afraid of the obvious, obnoxious or utterly idiotic), opinionated, quirky, work hard and play hard, Queen of “Oh yeah, I can do THAT”, life of the office type, I’m their gal.

In one way, I guess I’m weeding out who I don’t want to work for. If my blogging scares them; if my “un-corporateness” and casual and teamwork (not ranks) attitude unnerves them; and if my internet social life disturbs them, then I’m probably not the right fit in the first place!

I am VERY fortunate to be where I am and keeping my job going. My department surely knows about this little joint. And other folks in the office may have dropped in here once in a while. (Reveal yourselves, lurkers!!!)

Search me and I’m every elsewhere. I can’t hide.

And you know? I’m proud of that. I’m proud to be a part of a global community. It’s something I feel I’ve always been a part of. That whole fascination with airports and foreigners. The first taste of cultural ambassadorship at the International Summer Village in Australia at 12. And all that travels later on in life.

I never feel like I belong to only one country or culture. I feel that I belong to the world.

That’s why when this blog took off to a wider circle, not just my peers, I didn’t panic and stop. That’s why I joined Thai-Blogs to write some more. That’s why I’m doing Moo Swap over at Flickr.

That’s why I am not ashame of my “net reps”. Whatever it may be. It’s a part of who I am.

And that brought me to the next point, what I want to do career-wise.

(Boss Lady – If you’re reading, no need to worry. I’m not running out on you. Yet. ;-D)

My goal in life is to become a professional student.

I would like to make enough money to be able to afford to go to school forever. Just part time, I know I have to make a living still. But I’d like to be able to continue to take classes on whatever interests me.

As for a job, the one I have now is pretty damn near perfect. I get to play with the web, with graphic design, with writing, and with event coordinating. I even get to throw parties in the office of 30+ and get to know most of them. All the while, we’re doing good for the community. All the things that I love! The commute is hellish, made a lot better by the bus. That is probably the only thing I don’t 100% enjoy.

So thank “Walk the Plank” Amy–and gods–for this gig.  She planted me here and knew exactly how well I’d get on. Hopefully, my big mouth and “net rep” isn’t going to fail everyone.

Jane of All Trades needs to utilize everything she has or she gets bored. That is probably why it’s been hard finding a job. I’m just too fuckin’ picky.

That and probably this blog. Hahah!